Mindfulness

What you pay attention to may be a thought, a feeling, a physical sensation, another person or things that are happening around you.

By practising this over time, you will more fully appreciate the relationships between these things, learning to see how one affects the other, and how this appreciation shapes your wellbeing and the wellbeing of the people you interact with.

We all have the capacity to be mindful; some people are naturally more mindful than others, and we all have times when we are more mindful than at other times. In other words, the ability to be mindful varies between people and within individuals. When you practice mindfulness you are strengthening your ability to pay attention.

Research suggests that when we intentionally practise being mindful, we feel less stressed, anxious and depressed, and more balanced and in tune with what is happening inside and outside of our bodies. The resulting calm and clarity boosts wellbeing, broadens perspective and provides an important foundation for learning.

Mindfulness in schools Pause, Breathe, Smile programme