Mindfulness is one of the most powerful tools that we have to experience more peace and presence, so why don't we practice it more? Well, I think a big reason is that we don't truly understand what mindfulness is! Joree says, "Mindfulness isn't something you add to your to-do list, it's something you add to your to-be list." Breathwork, mindfulness, and meditation for anxiety sufferers can be extremely helpful when you know how to use them!
Joree Rose is a therapist, a mindfulness and meditation teacher, a coach, an author and a speaker, and she's somebody that I absolutely LOVE to chat with about mindfulness. She explains mindfulness and teaches it in ways that I've never heard anyone do it before. And she actually makes me feel super excited and good about practicing mindfulness. She is so passionate about helping people to live their lives on purpose, with greater ease, presence, and joy.
So if you're not so clear on what mindfulness is, or you're underestimating just how powerful it is, or you've tried to practice it and just feel like you didn't get what you were hoping for, or you're simply looking for more peace, or you're already a fan of mindfulness and you want more, this episode is for you!
Mindfulness: Meditation For Anxiety and How Our Brains Can Change & Experience More Peace
Mindfulness Vs. Meditation
I think many of us get confused about what mindfulness and meditation are, and how they're different. So let's talk about that! Joree says that meditation is the root of mindfulness practice. Meditation is a more formal practice, and mindfulness is something you can practice throughout your day! Joree made the analogy that if meditation is going to the gym, then mindfulness is the awareness that you have the strength to do the things you want in life.
So many of us struggle to be present. Whether it's anxiety or the distractions from a busy life, it can be really difficult! And that's why practicing mindfulness and meditation is so important to our mental health. We get to train our brains to slow down and exist in the present moment.
Rewiring your brain with neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity might sound like a really big word, but it basically just means that our brains have the power to change! And science shows that neuroplasticity allows us to change old unhealthy habits, and create new healthier ones. Joree says that mindfulness and meditation can be especially helpful for those of us struggling with anxiety because they can be a tool that helps us change the unhelpful stories we sometimes tell ourselves.
Meditation practice helps our brains get into the pattern of creating positive connections, instead of negative ones. And when this happens, we start to experience a whole lot more mental clarity! Joree mentioned that practicing deep breathing exercises is another great way to quiet the mind and create some more peace in your day.
Building an awareness that actually leads to peace
Joree says that to her, mindfulness is all about awareness. And it's so important to become aware of the path you want to take in life and become mindful of it! Because when your goal is clear, it is so much easier to take healthy and actionable steps. So if you're looking for more peace in your life, the first step is acknowledging that you have the choice to change for the better!
Joree dropped so many beautiful and powerful truths in this episode, and this is one of them:"I thought that the unknown was like this big black abyss of fear, this horrible, like, scary place. But I realized, like, wait, I have the known and I'm not happy. Which means the unknown is where possibility resides. It was like this mind-blowing moment that I had to be willing to see that as possibility. And once I recognized that the known wasn't actually as beneficial as I thought, because the known didn't actually give me the comfort and security that I pretended it was. The unknown is actually where my peace resided, where my fulfillment, where my alignment, where my authenticity was. And knowing that made it a lot easier to get through the hard moment to bridge from the unknown or from the known to the unknown."
Don't forget to listen to the full episode for all of the helpful goodness! And if you're wanting to learn more about meditation, check out my podcast episode with Emily Kessler about why meditation hasn't worked for you (yet)!
How To Connect With Joree:
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On Instagram: @joreerose