Warning: Packets out of order. Expected 1 received 0. Packet size=128 in /var/www/wp-includes/class-wpdb.php on line 2345 James Donaldson on Mental Health – Mindfulness And Your Mental Health – A Beginner’s Guide – James Donaldson's – Standing Above The Crowd's Blog
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James Donaldson on Mental Health – Mindfulness And Your Mental Health – A Beginner’s Guide
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Have you ever felt like your mind seems too full? Perhaps you are having trouble concentrating and achieving your goals. That’s when you actually need mindfulness the most. As you practice more at being mindful, the less full your mind will be. There is a logic behind this practice, and this article will help you learn the basics of mindfulness.
What exactly is mindfulness?
Basically, mindfulness means putting into practice the cultivation of awareness of your feelings and thoughts, and the ability to remain focused on each moment in the present. Mindfulness techniques vary from breathwork and meditation to other intentional customs that will help you consciously observe your own feelings and thoughts, to foster a sense of non-judgement.
Mindfulness has physical and mental benefits that include:
Better attention and focus
Stress reduction
Less emotional reactivity
Higher satisfaction in relationships
Improved capacity for memory storage and access
Mindfulness is a working buffer against anxiety. It helps to improve your memory and ability to learn and retain information, as well as reducing fatigue and improving sleep. It also aids in your ability to regulate stress and emotion.
You don’t need to spend hours every day meditating in order for mindfulness to benefit your mental health. Between eight and 20 minutes per day is sufficient to bring about meaningful benefits. This time will balance what you will be able to commit to within your day, and will benefit your attention span, as well.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
How can you begin to practice mindfulness for your mental health?
To start with, you can bring a mindfulness practice into everyday routines. You can do a couple minutes in the morning, when you arrive at work. This focuses all your attention on your breath, while noticing each breath in and out, before you start your day.
Set reminders on your smartphone when you want to take time for mindfulness breaks. These are important “appointments” to benefit your mental health.
One of the simplest beginner breathing exercises is box breathing. It’s simple, and flows like this:
Take in a breath through the nose for 4 seconds (count the seconds in your mind).
Hold that breath for 4 more seconds.
Let the breath out from your mouth for 4 seconds.
Finally, hold your breath for 4 seconds.
If you are still troubled by the distractions that seem to be everywhere, you may feel that your surroundings are too “noisy” in which to meditate. Actually, distractions help you learn to practice mindfulness.
When you are in a situation that feels stressful, you probably don’t have any control over the distractions in those surroundings. Mindfulness doesn’t clear your mind, nor is it meant to.
Rather, when you practice mindfulness, you observe your emotions and thoughts. That provides you with valuable information to grow and learn in your own mental health wellness.
When you experience distractions, notice where your mind is going. Does it become fixed on distracting noise from co-workers talking on their phones? Was the distraction related to a meeting you had earlier in the day? Invite your mind to go back to your anchor – your breath. You can do this as often as you might feel the need. That’s why mindfulness is known as “practice”.
Conclusion
Mindfulness meditation revolves around anchoring yourself in your breathing and in being present in the moment. It helps you to cultivate awareness of sensations and thoughts. Mindfulness can be referred to as a present-minded state, and it’s related closely to meditation.
Mindfulness through meditation is linked positively with an increased ability to pay attention and focus, and decreased levels of stress. When you develop a regular practice of meditation, it is an essential means of reaping all those benefits. Start slowly in a distraction-free area and just meditate for a few minutes. That is a simple approach that will lead you to feeling more comfortable with mindfulness for mental health.
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James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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