Although the definition of mindfulness varies, I like to reference Jon Kabat Zinn, who said, “Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose in the present moment non-judgmentally.” He identifies three main tenets of mindfulness:
· Being present
· Awareness
· Suspending judgment
Being present is the most understood element of mindfulness. The concept of staying present is straightforward, but implementing this practice in your daily life can be challenging. We are constantly bombarded with distractions, and our minds are easily drawn in multiple directions. Remaining present is a skill that we can grow through mindfulness practices and one that ultimately improves our ability to focus, reduces spiraling thoughts and allows us to enjoy each moment with our dogs.
Awareness is the second main tenet of mindfulness. Mindfulness teaches us to be aware of our bodies and our emotions; we slow down when we meditate and notice feelings or thoughts. Building this skill translates directly into how we think and interact – we learn how to extend more compassion and empathy with both ourselves and our dogs. We are also better able to pause before we react to a situation; examine and understand our initial inclinations; and determine how we want to move forward rather than simply reacting.
Finally, suspending judgment is maybe one of the hardest of the three elements of mindfulness to recognize and implement. This component of mindfulness involves letting go of judgments of yourself and others. Through our mindfulness practice, we learn to simply notice with curiosity and an open mind. In the same way that self-awareness helps us with our interactions with others, letting go of judgment of ourselves means that we reduce judgment of our dogs and recognize our biases. We are better able to accept when our expectations may not be met and recognize that our dogs have their own experiences that may differ from our expectations, but we can learn to see that these differences make our relationship stronger.
Growing a mindfulness practice is similar to learning any new skill – you have to find what works best for you and practice over time. These practices can include meditation, gratitude, mindful eating, or inviting mindful awareness into your daily routine (mindfully walking your dog, training, and cuddling). Through a mindfulness practice, you create new neural pathways and rewire your brain to be more present, more aware, and more suspending of judgment. Explore 10 practices to reset, reframe, and release in the following pages.
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