August 2024
August 3 is National Sunflower Day
Mindfulness is at it’s very core, the ability to be present in the moment without judgment. While it may seem like a simple concept, the effects of practicing mindfulness can be profound. Research has shown that mindfulness has many psychological benefits such as reducing stress and rumination, boosting memory and focus, less emotional reactivity and more cognitive flexibility. There are also many physical benefits such as improving sleep, and decreasing pain and blood pressure.
Mindfulness is something that needs to be developed and strengthened through regular practice, and luckily for beginners, it’s easy to get started. There are many ways to learn how to become more mindful for people who have never tried before. A couple of books to check out are “Mindfulness for Beginners” by Jon Kabat-Zinn, “Mindfulness in Plain English” by Bhante Bhante Gunaratana, and “Mindfulness: A Practical Guide for Awakening” by Joseph Goldstein.
Mindfulness is not just about meditation, or sitting quietly. There are many types of mindfulness practices that will help you become more aware of your present moment. One of the best ways to get started is to keep a gratitude journal. When we are grateful, we are not thinking about what we don’t have, what we wish to have in the future, or what we’ve missed out on in the past. Gratefulness anchors us in the present moment because we focus on what we have and who we are right now. When we are anchored in the present moment, we don’t have much room left for anxious thoughts. Keeping a gratitude journal is easy, all you have to do is write down 5 things each day that you are grateful for. Once you start keeping the journal, you will find that it becomes easier, and you will start to find moments of gratitude during the day that you may not have recognized before.
As you look back at your journal overtime, you may discover that you have found new things to be grateful for that you didn’t recognize before. You may find ways of becoming more mindful and find more ease in your life. So, give it a try, you have nothing to lose :)
Dr. Jonathan Anslow’s Men’s Groups
Join Dr. Anslow’s Men’s Group!
One group focuses on helping young men (age 18-29) on the transition to adulthood and providing support through the early stages of ‘adulting.’
The second group is for 30+ year-old men to process and support one another.
For more information or to register email Dr. Anslow at JAnslow@HQPsych.com
To join a session of our Gender Junction meeting, or for more information email Dr. Wolfe at GWolfe@HQPsych.com
Dr. Ryan Kelly will be running the Kids Thrive Therapy Group. For more information email Dr. Kelly at RKelly@HQPsych.com