The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges that have a detrimental impact on people’s mental health. To cope with the changing environment, people are encouraged to practice mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the present moment. Life is made up of both pleasant and unpleasant experiences. The secret to living a healthy life is to know how to handle the unpleasant experiences.

The current crisis has presented several threats to our security on matters revolving around emotional, physical, social, and financial status. People are increasingly feeling anxious and frustrated mostly because of the loss of their livelihoods. According to a recent survey, people are experiencing disappointment or anger because they feel the government is too reluctant to help them. Anger and anxiety are normal reactions during a pandemic.

Mindfulness may include breathing in and out a few times a day when you feel exhausted. Basically, this is the simplest form of addressing stress and anxiety. Medical specialists recommend mindfulness to mental health patients to help them deal with their illnesses. With COVID-19 hitting the headlines every day, people are grieving the loss of their previous lives. That grief is created by the fear of what might happen next.

How to Practice Mindfulness

Numerous people shy away from talking about mindfulness as a form of medication. It is imperative to know that mindfulness is a certified therapy for stress and anxiety. In mindfulness, one forgets all things about life to pay keen attention to their breath. While breathing in and out, people follow their breath to notice how the mind is reacting.

When observing what is coming in and out when meditating, it is prudent for people not to judge themselves. Maintaining a daily mindfulness practice might be daunting. People think it only involves taking a break from regular routines, but this is not the case. It is a state of mind where people are not thinking about the pain or anxiety they are experiencing. In such a state of mind, people can notice when their minds get distracted or begin focusing on something else. It only becomes a skill when someone learns to control thoughts during mindfulness.

Surprisingly, several things that people do every day are done almost automatically because they have been used to doing them. Being mindful means focusing on every action.

For more information, visit New Horizon Counseling Center’s website.