Mindfulness: From a Skeptic to a Believer
By Julie Brown
System of Care Project Director at Family Resource Center
True confession. I’ve had the “Calm” app on my phone for several years and used it only as a tool of last resort to try to fall asleep when I couldn’t still my busy mind at the end of the day. My adult daughter told me that I was missing a far wider range of mindfulness benefits than better sleep. And, I completely ignored her.
But when the pandemic stay-at-home order started, my normally optimistic mind became full of bad things that had already happened or could happen in the future. Very quickly, I knew I needed to find a way to cope in this unsettling time.
Luckily, in my search for a new podcast series to binge, I happened upon a podcast by Tara Brach called “Guided Meditation for Times of Pandemic: Calling on Your Awakened Heart.” So I found a quiet space and a comfy chair and spent 23 minutes following the guided meditation. I spent most of that first session trying to refocus because my mind was still going a million different directions.
But, for the rest of that day, I noticed that I felt calmer, more focused and less afraid. I did a little research and found that mindfulness has been proven to alleviate stress, depression and insomnia and is a proven way to cope during difficult times.
So I tried another guided meditation the next day and the next and the next. I have not missed a day of mindfulness practice in over two months. During each day’s practice, I need to remind myself to come back to the present moment many times, but that’s just part of the process.
I have already experienced measurable health benefits from this practice. Per my Fitbit, my resting heartbeat has decreased 8 beats per minute.
I have been asked “How will the pandemic change your life in the long-run? What changes will you keep after this is over?” For me, it will be daily mindfulness practice. During this time of COVID-19, we are all being forced to live one day at a time, but through mindfulness I’ve learned that facing each day with curiosity and compassion is a wonderful gift.
Good luck on your mindfulness journey.
The collective trauma of COVID-19 is uncharted territory for all of us. In the Thriving Families blog, we aim to share messages of hope and tools to cope. Featured authors are local experts and community partners.
In March, our Hancock County System of Care grant project launched the inaugural Thriving Families Week. This week was dedicated to bringing local families and professionals together to talk about healing trauma, addiction, and mental illness.