Mindful Body & Brain

By Jessica Diktas

Fun Fact: The average brain is believed to generate around 30,000 thoughts per day. Disturbingly, it’s estimated that in most people 70% of these thoughts are negative. Through the practice of short moments of mindfulness, we begin to see an increasing pattern of positive thinking and increased activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Therefore we truly have the power to change our brains!!

Mindful Exercise

S.O.S.: Stop. Observe. Sensations. Physical sensations inside and outside the body can be a wonderful way to tap into the present moment, and get us out of the thinking mind, even for a few moments. A few times throughout the day just simply stop and notice any physical sensations the body is experiencing. For example, stop right now, close your eyes and just simply notice and feel your heart beating, your belly moving up and down, the temperature in the room, and any places in the body you may be holding tension. Take a nice deep inhale and exhale and simply bring your awareness back to whatever it was you were up to.

As we create moments of space in the mind, through short moments of mindfulness, we are tapping into the space between stimulus and response.

TEDx Talk

Don’t miss an opportunity to be mindful because it doesn’t seem to “work.” Hear Daron Larson’s thoughts in “Don’t try to be mindful” here:

Mindfulness and How the Brain Works

Learn a little more about what’s happening in your brain and the different pieces at play with stress and mindfulness:

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