Mindful v Mind full

Welcome to Sunday Morning Coffee! As usual, I’m sitting on my back porch in the cool of the morning. Birds are twittering, butterflies are flitting around our wild flower garden, and the rooster’s crowing. So much for peace and quiet. We apologized to our neighbors because we didn’t intend to have a rooster, but you never know what you’re getting with chicks until it’s too late. Here’s the weird thing…the neighbors all asked us to keep him. Everyone thought the crowing (he doesn’t get started too early and he’s not too loud) was comforting. You never know about people either. Sometimes, a reminder of what it must have been like to live in a simpler time with a rooster waking you up and none of the stress of a fast-paced job is comforting (I never tell people who have never made their living on a farm that the stress of THAT job is a killer). Day dreaming about it, though, or watching enough BBC shows set in bucolic English countrysides will settle your nerves. Or at least mine. I’m a BBC addict (along with Acorn, Britbox…). My granddaughter and I have been watching ASMR videos where women with amazing manicures tear paper and rip tape and cut out stickers to make beautiful journal pages. ASMR, if you don’t know, stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. It’s the sensation you get from certain sounds. These videos don’t have music or talking, just the sounds made in the creation of the journal page. The sounds combined with the colors and images and arrangement of them on the journal page are incredibly soothing. Remember Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting? He was using ASMR as he talked in an almost whisper, with a wispy voice and the soothing sounds of the brush on canvas. My daughter is a champion meditator. I can never turn my brain off long enough to meditate, but it’s what gets her through her day. My son listens to jazz. Everybody has their thing, right?

Mindfulness comes in all different packages, and what relaxes one person might have the opposite effect on someone else. If you’re like me, you struggle with the experience of mind full, and mindful is much harder to achieve. When my head hits the pillow, my brain is usually whirling…working out problems, thinking up new ideas, going over what I should have said or will say, and as the night wears on, it sometimes goes to irrational fears and panics. We live in a fast-paced world, and in the U.S., if you’re not on that track, people tend to think something’s wrong with you. The American Dream seems to be working ourselves to the grave, worrying about everything along the way. In a fast-paced and information-saturated world, the concepts of "mindful" and "mind full" have gained significant prominence. These two seemingly similar terms, with only a single space between them, represent profoundly different states of being and ways of experiencing life. I want to see if I can shed light on the distinction between "mindful" and "mind full" and the implications they hold for our well-being and overall quality of life.

Mindful:

Mindfulness is a practice deeply rooted in ancient traditions, most notably Buddhism, which has gained widespread recognition in contemporary psychology and wellness circles. Being mindful is the art of being fully present in the moment, with an open and non-judgmental awareness of your thoughts, emotions, sensations, and surroundings. Here are key aspects of mindfulness:

Awareness: Mindfulness involves paying deliberate attention to the here and now, acknowledging whatever arises without attempting to change it or judge it as good or bad.

Presence: A mindful individual is fully engaged with the task or experience at hand, embracing it with undivided attention. This practice fosters a deeper connection with life's intricacies.

Acceptance: Mindfulness encourages acceptance of your own thoughts, feelings, and circumstances without resistance. This acceptance is not passive but serves as a foundation for personal growth and well-being.

Reduced Stress: Numerous studies have shown that practicing mindfulness can reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. It helps individuals manage their reactions to challenging situations.

Enhanced Well-being: By fostering an attitude of gratitude and contentment, mindfulness can lead to greater overall life satisfaction and happiness.

Mind Full:

On the other hand, being "mind full" signifies a state of mental overload, where your thoughts and attention are scattered and divided among numerous concerns, distractions, and worries. This condition often leads to stress, anxiety, and a sense of being overwhelmed. Key characteristics of being "mind full" include:

Distraction: A mind full of distractions is unable to fully engage with the present moment, as it’s constantly pulled in multiple directions by external stimuli and internal worries.

Stress and Anxiety: The constant mental chatter and preoccupation with numerous thoughts can lead to heightened stress levels and persistent anxiety.

Lack of Presence: Individuals who are mind full may struggle to truly connect with people and experiences due to their mental preoccupation with past regrets or future worries.

Reduced Productivity: A mind full of distractions is less efficient and effective, because it can’t focus on the task at hand, leading to decreased productivity and satisfaction.

Health Implications: Chronic stress associated with a mind full state can have adverse effects on physical and mental health, including cardiovascular issues and sleep disturbances.

The difference between "mindful" and "mind full" is profound. While mindfulness promotes being fully present, cultivating awareness, and fostering acceptance of your experiences, being mind full results in distraction, stress, and a lack of presence. The choice between these two states of mind can significantly impact our overall well-being and the quality of our lives. In our modern world, where distractions are abundant and the pace of life is relentless, the practice of mindfulness becomes increasingly important. By embracing mindfulness, we can experience greater peace, resilience, and fulfillment while navigating the complexities of the 21st century.

Taking care of ourselves is important. Especially if we’re taking care of others. If you’re working with students or incarcerated individuals, or justice impacted people, or your family, or anyone who’s trying to find their way and may be struggling, introducing mindfulness and initiating an awareness of mind fullness is helpful for their journey. Remembering to practice what you preach will help you on yours.

Cheerio mates (channelling my BBC lingo here). I hope your week is wonderfully peaceful, happy, and rewarding. I tip my cuppa to you. Ok enough with that. :) Have a good one.