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5 Areas Where Mindfulness Can Improve Your Life

[/fusion_text][one_sixth last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][/one_sixth][two_third last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” style_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”none” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””] [/imageframe][/two_third][one_sixth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][/one_sixth][one_sixth last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][/one_sixth][two_third last=”no” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]I am a firm believer in the alignment of every aspect of life, as well as an appreciation for the moment. If one area is out of sync with the rest, the resultant dissonance has a detrimental effect on all other areas. With so much potential available to each one of us, daily mindfulness is an important tool in achieving our individual goals. Over the years, research has emphasized the benefits of mindfulness, and there are five key areas where mindfulness can truly make a difference in the overall quality of your life.

Physical Health

Your mind is a powerful health tool, and making mindfulness a habit can improve your physical health in a number of ways. How can something that happens completely within your mind enhance your physical health? Not only has mindfulness been proven to reduce stress in general, but it can be an effective way to combat conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and chronic pain. Mindfulness can also help improve how well you sleep, and there is no doubt a decent night’s sleep can improve your day!

Relationships

We all want better relationships in both our personal and professional lives. Mindfulness taps into your ability to form healthy emotional connections, as well as respond positively to emotional stress. The ability to communicate effectively with another person is the building block of a strong relationship. Mindfulness can help you capitalize on this skill with poise and clear thinking. Mindfulness is a tool that can help you build healthier relationships with family members, friends, and colleagues. This, in turn, leads to better conflict resolution and opens your mind to different solutions and other perspectives, at the same time encouraging empathy towards others. Most disagreements stem from a lack of understanding as well as a negative perception of the past. Living in this moment with a broader view can completely change how you interact with others.

Family

There is a misconception that mindfulness is solely an independent activity, practiced only in a meditative space. But family life can also benefit from mindfulness, when employed as a tool for positive parenting. This parent tool-kit shares some insightful and inspiring ideas for incorporating mindfulness into the family routine, which can teach children about regulating emotions and making smart decisions.

Work

You’re not too busy to practice mindfulness during the day, even at work. Being present and consciously aware of tasks, conversations, and interactions will help you improve your performance and minimize distractions. Mindfulness also gives you the mental time and space you need to make effective decisions, especially in high-stress situations. By using mindfulness at work, you can be more productive and less likely to find yourself in a heightened emotional state.

Mental Health

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, and mindfulness has been proven repeatedly to be an effective intervention for chronic stress and many other disorders. According to an in-depth analysis of mental health and mindfulness research, mindfulness is shown to improve quality of life in measures of depression, anxiety, and coping skills. Mindfulness can alter the cognitive processes that result in mental health challenges, increasing positive effect and decreasing negative effect. It is a literal, and research-proven, “out with the bad and in with the good” result.

Not only that, but mindfulness can improve memory and focus. Mindfulness allows the mind to be more flexible in its environment, as well as more connected. This means that the brain can more readily adapt to negative situations, increasing the ability to respond positively and reduce stress.

In the coming months, I will explore mindfulness in more depth as it relates to each of these five areas. Embracing mindfulness stimulates a domino effect. Improvement in one area leads to more satisfaction in another. When your life is aligned, every aspect flows smoothly, and mindfulness can connect the pieces. To me, this is truly the Art of Alignment.[/fusion_text][/two_third][one_sixth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” class=”” id=””][/one_sixth][/fullwidth]