Mindfulness: The Power of Being in the Present Moment

Mindfulness has entered our world through philosophical approaches that have existed in the East for centuries, finding life in the West through scientific studies. The goal is to train the mind to achieve psychological and physical health. Mindfulness means inviting our mind into the present moment consciously and without judgment. In other words, it means giving our attention neither to the past nor to the future, but right into the moment we are in.

In the highly stimulated world of the 21st century, many things can pass through our minds in a single moment. We can find ourselves doing multiple things at once. But how many of them can we truly do by paying attention and with awareness? How many of us have uttered the sentence, "I didn't even notice when I finished it," after eating a sandwich? We finish our food on autopilot, without even realizing we are full. To be more mindful, we must be aware of the moment we are in. What is around us? What sounds do I hear right now? Is there a taste in my mouth? What scents can I perceive? If we are sitting or standing, noticing our contact with the surface we touch brings our mind to the present moment. In other words, noticing what we perceive with our five senses makes us feel that we are in the moment. Another—and actually the easiest—way to remind our wandering mind that we are in the present is the "breath." With every breath we take, we enter a new moment. When we focus our attention on the breath we take, we exist mindfully within the present moment. I invite you to pause for a moment during a busy day, take a deep breath, and come into the present.

Studies show that a mindful life provides development in many areas, such as emotional intelligence, interpersonal relationships, seeing the bigger picture, problem-solving, decision-making, focus and concentration, and stress management. Neuropsychological research also reveals that the brain is strengthened and there is an increase in neurons.