CHECKLIST

● What is mindfulness?
o Being in the present
▪ You do not have to be in the present all the time
▪ Active intention to be in the present more often
o Not thinking about the
▪ Past
▪ Future
▪ Or nothing at all
o Involves
▪ Being in touch with ourselves
▪ Knowing our limits
▪ Understanding our goals
o All people are capable of mindfulness
o The point of mindfulness
▪ Help you live a better life
● Be realistic about your goals
● Makes you feel happier and more content
● Help you cope during times of chaos
▪ Mindfulness is NOT
● To bring you bliss
o Bliss does not exist
o Troubling times will always come your way
o Benefits
▪ Improves
● Stress
● Anxiety
● Pain
● Depression
● Blood pressure
● Insomnia
● Diabetes
● Cardiovascular diseases
▪ Increases
● Attention span
● Motivation
● Satisfaction with life
● Mindfulness in times of chaos
o When you need mindfulness
▪ Anytime you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or chaotic
o What is a time of chaos?
▪ Anything that makes you feel negatively
▪ Do not compare your chaos to that of someone else
● We all have our own burdens and limits
▪ Times of chaos examples
● Death of a family member
● School
● Stressful day at work
● Divorce
● Getting fired
● Life-altering events
● Anything that causes stress and anxiety
▪ Negative effects of chaotic times
● Increased stress
● Increased anxiety
● Insomnia
● Cardiovascular diseases
● Work burnout
● Poor relationships
● Obesity
▪ How mindfulness helps
● Helps you
o Calm down
o Get in touch with what matters
o Reevaluate your wants and goals
● Rewires thought patterns
● Mindfulness and the body
o Benefits
▪ Decreases risk of heart disease
▪ Increases immune system response
▪ Reduces cell aging
o Why mindfulness benefits the body
▪ When stressful times hit
● Your body releases chemicals and hormones
o Beneficial short-term
o Bad for your health long-term
▪ What mindfulness does
● Signals to your brain to stop releasing the
hormones and chemicals
o Mindfulness and the body practices
▪ Progressive muscle relaxation
▪ Body scan
▪ Sipping on a warm drink
● Mindfulness and the mind
o Benefits
▪ Improves reasoning abilities
▪ Increases attention
▪ Improves memory
▪ Regulates emotions
▪ Improves compassion
▪ Helps connect the left and right hemispheres of the
brain
o Mindfulness and the mind practices
▪ Create a mindful morning routine
● Put away devices
● Set an intention
● Write
▪ Repeat affirmations
● Mindfulness and the spirit
o Benefits
▪ Increases well being
▪ Increases satisfaction with life
▪ Enhances self-insight
o Mindfulness and the spirit practices
▪ Affirmations
● Reflect on your needs and goals
● Create affirmations
o Short
o To the point
o Easy to remember
● Repeat twice a day for at least one month
● Mindfulness as a growth opportunity
o Be mindful on the good days
▪ Use good days as “training days”
▪ Gets you in the habit of being mindful
▪ Makes it easier to be mindful on chaotic days
o Helps you become more resilient
▪ Resilience involves
● Compassion
● Acceptance
● Openness
● Creativity
● Mindfulness as meditation
o Mindfulness
▪ Being in the present
▪ Many ways to be mindful
o Meditation
▪ Formal practice
▪ Involves mindfulness
▪ One type of mindfulness training
o How to practice mindful meditation
▪ Set aside special time
▪ Create your meditation space
● Turn off phone
● Set aside distractions
● Dim lights
 ● Be in the present
● Be kind to thoughts
o Let them come
o Conclude them naturally
o Don’t let thoughts spiral out of control
● Be kind to yourself
▪ Note how you feel after
o Holistic mindfulness
▪ Why holistic mindfulness matters
● Disconnecting body, mind, and spirit has
negative health risks
▪ What is holistic mindfulness?
● Being mindful of your body, mind, and spirit
o Not just one part
▪ How to practice holistic mindfulness
● Incorporate your feelings, thoughts, and senses
into every practice
● Balance your mindfulness practices out by using
different techniques
● Yoga
o Meditative practice that combines body,
mind, and spirit
o Move to your breath
o Look online for thousands of free yoga
practices
● Practicing mindfulness
o Remember it takes time
o Be patient with yourself
o Be kind to yourself
o Don’t expect to see results for at least a month