Since ancient times, wise teachers have advocated a variety of mindfulness practices, including prayer, meditation, and journaling.

Science has finally revealed that these practices are grounded in real neurochemical processes.

A regular mindfulness practice can, over time, shrink your amygdala (your “fight or flight” center) and grow your prefrontal cortex (your judgment and decision-making center).

This means that you can get better at responding rationally to stimuli instead of reacting foolishly while you’re overtaken by emotion.

And no, I’m not calling you out.

It’s just part of being human.

We’re emotional creatures, and certain experiences can launch us into chain reactions we end up regretting later:

• We say harsh things we don’t mean to people we love because we believe we’ve been insulted, when logic might show us it was just a misunderstanding

• We make rash decisions like quitting a job or buying a car because we’re swept up in emotion, when the wiser move would be to wait and reassess later

• We succumb to peer pressure because we’re afraid of becoming an outcast, when we’d be better off if we just found different friends who respect us for who we are

• We stay in relationships, friendships, and jobs that are stealing our joy because we’re afraid of “what people might think,” when most people won’t even notice or care

Mindfulness helps with all of this.

Over time, it helps us become better parents, siblings, friends, and coworkers because it makes us more emotionally stable and increases our threshold for discomfort and surprise.

And, most importantly, it sharpens our rational mind so that we can experience more joy in our lives by making better decisions.

Quote of the Week

“Remember, it is not enough to be hit or insulted [for you] to be harmed; you must believe that you are being harmed. 

If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation. 

[This] is why it is essential that we not respond impulsively to impressions; take a moment before reacting and you will find it is easier to maintain control.”

– Epictetus, Enchiridion

Mindful Living Tip

Here are a few simple ways to cultivate more mindfulness in your life:

• Start keeping a journal each night where you document the day’s events, how they made you feel, how you responded, and how you wish you had responded.

• Write daily notecards or sticky notes to set your intentions for the day, perhaps by setting goals for behaviors you want to practice, or by jotting down personal encouragement.

• Set an alarm to remind you to stop and meditate (or say a short prayer) every few hours throughout the day.

• Practice praying or meditating every day before you get out of bed in the morning, before you go to sleep at night, or both.

If you’ve benefited from any of these practices, or you think you want to give them a try, let us know! (I’m a big fan of morning “intention” journaling, myself.)

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Author Bio

This piece was written by Christopher J. Fritz, a writer, podcaster, and musician with a passion for philosophy, mindfulness, and sustainability.