Peter Boyer: Do you ever feel stressed out trying to tackle your to-do list? Our brains are often overwhelmed with daily thoughts and worries. Mindfulness is a technique that can lend order to the chaos.
Dr. Richard Davidson explains what this is and how it may help us feel less scattered in our daily lives.
Richard Davidson: According to my dear friend Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the foremost mindfulness experts in the world, mindfulness is awareness cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.
We can build more resilience. We can brighten our outlook. We can become more self-aware, and we can sharpen our attentional focus.
Peter Boyer: The benefits are pretty substantial, and even those who may not feel the pressures and stresses of life can benefit.
Richard Davidson: A recent study shows that the average American adult spends 47 percent of her or his waking life not paying attention to what they're doing. We're consumed by these external factors in our life, and we often have a hard time on focusing on what really needs to get done.
But we can also change our brains on purpose to fit our emotional needs and to promote well-being by practicing a handful of simple mental exercises. And what mindfulness does is it lets us see our emotions, acknowledge them, and move on, allowing us to live more in the present moment.
Peter Boyer: This challenge will teach you techniques that help you practice mindfulness in your daily life.
Richard Davidson: I believe this is a great starting point for anyone looking to understand their emotions and how they affect our minds and our brains, and their lives. Just know that you can take what you learn here and possibly change the way your brain works to cultivate a life of kindness and compassion, and to bring you increased focus, to lower your stress and also reduce your anxiety.
Peter Boyer: Get started today.
