Written by: Susie Briscoe, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I am often asked about mindfulness, and this made me remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs, which I detail below… and this is a good place to start on our journey into mindfulness.
As you can see Maslow really covers everything right up to the apex of his pyramid when self-actualization is lumped into the top and is not explored further. I believe this is exactly where to start – at the very top of the pyramid and really understand more about what makes each of us tick.
You have probably been told that embarking on a journey to become more mindful in your life will be very beneficial to you. But you may be wondering just what are the benefits of being more mindful? There are so many benefits to being more mindful in your life, some of which are explained below.
Stress Reduction
If you are like most people in this world, you live a busy life that is often full of stress. And stress has proven to be both bad for the body and the mind. When you work on becoming more mindful in your life, this will help reduce your stress. It will also help improve other mental aspects, such as focus and efficiency, which are often impeded by the effects of stress.
Better Sleep
Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Well, becoming more mindful can help you with that as well. Being more mindful helps reduce the number of the ailments which cause problems sleeping, such as anxiety and stress. So, once you become more mindful, you’ll sleep more deeply and wake feeling more rested.
Improved Relationships
It can be hard to maintain relationships in your life if you lack empathy or are prone to emotional outbursts. Improving your mindfulness can help with both of these, as in one study performed by the California State University San Marcos, it was discovered that instruction in mindfulness both increases empathy and emotional control—meaning participants were less likely to have emotional outbursts in the future.
More Fulfillment
Mindfulness can help you feel happier and more fulfilled. This is because part of mindfulness is learning who you are and how to accept yourself and your life as it is. It will also help you set more effective goals for yourself and handle any demanding situations that may come your way confidently. This means you will be less likely to be thrown off when something in your life doesn’t go as planned, and you will be able to move forward with your life with ease.
Of course, these aren’t all the benefits of mindfulness, as the list goes on and on. But when you take steps to become more mindful, the benefits you will experience will transform your life in several ways, which will lead you to become a happier person who maintains excellent relationships with others.
You're Not Guaranteed Another Minute, and That's Beautiful
No one is guaranteed a certain amount of time on this planet. There are 24 hours in a day, but not one of them is promised to you. You aren't guaranteed to see the ending of a movie just because you've made it up to the climax.
Truth be told, you can't be sure you'll be existing 60 seconds from now.
You're probably thinking that this is a dismal and negative picture we're painting. Please don't believe that. There is incredible beauty found in this idea if you let it come to light.
It's something that we often learn later in life. We suffer a devastating loss, and we look back on our past. Perhaps a friend or family member passes away. We think about all the things we wish we would've told that person.
Regret often accompanies the loss of a loved one. The wise person will let that regret pass. They begin to think of all the wonderful memories created with the person that's no longer in their life. They smile and get good feelings reminiscing that way.
Eventually, our own mortality comes to mind. We realize that the world can change in the blink of an eye. When this happens to you, hopefully you never forget that lesson.
Embrace All the Beauty and Positivity in the Present Moment
The things you've done in your past, even the past few seconds, cannot be changed. For all intents and purposes, which means it doesn't exist. You can reminisce about wonderful times in the past and that's a good thing. But you have no control over your past.
The future doesn't exist. You can't guarantee the future, even a few seconds or minutes or an hour from now. Embrace that. Understand what it means. This natural fact means that you owe it to yourself to live in the present moment right now.
Own it. Experience it fully with all of your senses. With the knowledge that we're guaranteed no amount of time on earth, you'll start to see beauty everywhere. You understand how your entire existence is only one present moment at a time.
Think about it this way and you'll make better plans. While your future isn't guaranteed, embracing this mindset will have you making smarter plans for your future. You'll take your relationships much more seriously. Embrace the present moment without guarantees of anything in the future and you'll start calling the people that you love and telling them how much they mean to you.
No matter what you do, you can't alter the fact that nothing is guaranteed in life.
This may seem like a heavy conversation to have with young people, but it needs to happen. It can produce an appreciation for relationships, beauty, and positivity that otherwise might not exist. You owe it to yourself to plan for a wonderful future. You should also give yourself the gift of being totally alive and present in the now.
What Does Contentment Mean?
People may have told you at some point in your life that you need to have more contentment. But what does this mean exactly? Unsurprisingly, being content is something that will look different for every individual. There are a few similar attributes that content people share, though.
Contentment Is Being Grateful
When you have contentment, you are grateful for all the things you have in life. And this doesn't just mean physical possessions. It also means being content with the people you have in life and less tangible things like your abilities and skills. If you struggle with being grateful for the things you have, it may help if you make a list of all the things you are grateful for in life. It would be best if you did this regularly. This way, you will have a visual of all the amazing aspects of your life, and it will help keep these things at the forefront of your mind.
Contentment Is Living in the Moment
Living a life filled with contentment means you spend your time living in the moment rather than dwelling in the past. When you find yourself thinking too much about the past, it's time to try to let these regrets go. So, when you find yourself surrounded by friends at an event, instead of looking in your phone at social media and other things that happened in the past, you need to put your phone down and resolve to enjoy the moment, and whatever may come your way.
Being Content Is Being Happy
Above all else, being content in life means you are happy with things just like they are. Contentment means you don't need to worry about physical possessions because you know that you have everything you need to be successful and happy. If acquiring physical possessions is something you frequently do, the next time you find yourself wanting to buy something, ask yourself if you need it or if you want it. Chances are you probably don’t need whatever it is you are about to buy.
In conclusion, contentment means many different things to people, but in general, being content means that you are grateful for what you have, that you live in the moment, and that you are overall happy with the way your life is going. The road to achieving contentment won’t always be easy, but you can guarantee you will be happy when you get there.
Susie Briscoe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Susie Briscoe, Global Business & Executive Lifestyle Legacy Coach Mentor founded Acer Coaching Associates in 2003, and has guest appeared on various podcasts and radio stations, including Voice of America. Susie has written two no.1 International best selling books ‒ “Colour Your Legacy” & “Ascension to Legacy”, also contributing to numerous collaborative books. She works via Zoom thus travels the world several times in a day! Susie has dedicated her life to supporting charities, so it is natural that her work includes helping others to see how each of us are creating our legacy each day of our life. Her mission is to ‘’help you find the rainbows of happiness in your life” to help us understand our blessing.
