Much has been written about the benefits of mindfulness. While there are several ways to practice mindfulness, the image that conjures up in most people's mind when they think about mindfulness is of a person in some kind of Yoga pose breathing mindfully. Well, mindfulness certainly goes beyond these stereotypical characterizations across popular media. There are practical ways to approach mindfulness which appear less amorphous than what some traditional practices may look like and this article talks about one such practice. Before we delve into details of this particular practice, it would be prudent to first define what mindfulness exactly means. In simple terms, mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness of your present experience with curiosity, openness, and acceptance. Knowing what you are doing while you are doing it is the essence of mindfulness practice (Kabat-Zinn, 2013). Mindfulness is not approached with an attitude of getting to someplace better, or getting some...
Written by a board-certified psychiatrist and an expert on self-management of depression, Harpreet Duggal, MD, this blog focuses on practical and proven methods of treating depression that go beyond medications and traditional therapy. It discusses elements of healthy lifestyle, positive psychology, relationships, values, strengths, communication, and wellness. No AI-assisted technology has been used in this blog. The content of the blog is not to be construed as treatment advice.