Dear College of Education Community,
In this upside-down world that we are currently in, let’s return to the benefits of mindfulness thinking. Mindfulness is the awareness that arises by paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and remaining nonjudgmental. Mindfulness can be used for coping with the stressors of everyday life. An American Psychological Association Monitor article has identified the empirically based benefits of mindfulness to include: reduced rumination; stress reduction; boosts in working memory; an increased ability to focus attention and suppress distracting information; less emotional reactivity; more cognitive flexibility; greater ability to respond well to relationship stress and the skill in communicating one's emotions to a partner; help with reducing psychological distress and fear. Sound good? Then let’s remind ourselves that there are ways to cope with all that is now.
To review the benefits of mindfulness please read more at https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner
For a list of many self-care options, please see our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at:
https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care
Mindfulness is one helpful way to deal with the world we are currently in.
Warmly,
Shari