Living in the Moment with Mindfulness

By Brandon Cornejo M.D., Ph.D.

I hope your first week of 2012 was a good one! How are those New Year's resolutions going? If your goal is to exercise more, my "Mindfulness" two-part blog post should help you stay motivated. In part-one of my post, I discussed the concept of "mindfulness" or living in the moment.



Now I will share how you can use mindfulness to stay focused on a particular goal like exercising. Since exercise and mindfulness enhance mood, decrease stress, and improve negative thinking, these tips will benefit us all as we enjoy 2012!







Tips for staying in the present moment while exercising:



·         One of the most basic tools that you can use in mindfulness is your breathing. By focusing on the sensation of air traveling in and out of your body (just like you do during meditation), you can be grounded in the present moment.



·         You may also try a mantra to stay in the "now" (for example, runners often count out their footsteps – “1, 2, 3…1, 2, 3” – or a mountain biker or skier may constantly remind themselves to “relax”).



·         Applying either technique will keep you in the moment rather than thinking about negative thoughts and feelings that influence behavior in a non-productive fashion during your exercise.



·         Paying attention to physical feelings of your body and your surroundings as you exercise will prevent you from going into “automatic pilot” (when you act and react without conscious awareness).



·         By learning to stay present, you can accept physical discomfort as a temporary state that will soon pass.



·         As you continue your workout, you can “label” both positive and negative thoughts that occur while exercising. Labeling these thoughts will help you understand which thoughts and feelings are limiting your success and need to be changed.

Try out some of these tips and see how you start removing unwanted negative thoughts to overcome challenges that may have held you back in the past. Mindfulness matters when it comes to achieving that New Year's resolution this year.

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Live Longer by Making Mental Wellness Your Mission

By Felicia Wong, M.D.

September is National Recovery Month, and this year, SAMHSA announced the first National Wellness Week (September 19-25, 2011) to show why "wellness" is so important.  Did you know, people with mental and substance use disorders die decades earlier than the general population, mostly due to preventable medical conditions?

Each day, we face all sorts of demands and drama which can lead to insomnia, lack of concentration, problems in our relationships, and other mental health issues.  In May, I suggested using these tools to cope better with stress and boost your overall well-being.  Here's my "Top 8 Tips for Mental Wellness;" I hope you will take another look and share with your loved ones this week. 



1) Help Others. People who consistently help others experience less depression, greater calm, and fewer pains.

2) Take Care of Your Spirit. People who have strong spiritual lives may be healthier and live longer. Spirituality seems to cut the stress that can contribute to disease.

3) Stay Positive. Positive emotions can boost your ability to bounce back from stress.



4) Get Physically Active. Exercise can help relieve insomnia and reduce depression.

5) Get Enough Sleep. Not getting enough rest increases risks of weight gain, accidents, reduced memory, and heart problems.

6) Eat Well. Eating healthy food and regular meals can increase your energy, lower the risk of developing certain diseases, and influence your mood.

7) Deal Better with Hard Times. People who can tackle problems or get support in a tough situation tend to feel less depressed.

8) Get Professional Help if You Need It. More than 80 percent of people who are treated for depression improve.

Which tips on this list are missing in your life?  Today is the perfect time to take action!  Your wellness matters. 

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