King County offered it's first MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) classes this year as part of Healthy Incentives. It was a pilot, so we could learn how popular and effective the program would be before we signed a contract or made a long term commitment. Wow, were we surprised at the popularity. When 3 classes... Continue Reading →
It is the end of the year – a time for gatherings and celebrations.
While we may be looking forward to celebrating, it is easy to feel lost in the busyness of holiday activities-planning, shopping, cooking, socializing, running around town-- that we forget to be present. If we act mindlessly, holidays can create more stress than relaxation. Here are three tips to guide you through a calm and energizing... Continue Reading →
What is Mindfulness Practice?
"Mindfulness is paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, non-judgmentally". John Kabat-Zinn (1990) The practice of mindfulness encourages us to pay attention to the process of our experience - not just the content. It is meant to help us "catch" ourselves when we fall into our systematic patterns of responding. It helps us create... Continue Reading →
More on Mindfulness
One of the mindfulness techniques that really stuck with me, is the STOP: STOP is one way you can remind yourself to be mindful in the heat of the moment. Stopping allows us to intentionally step out of our customary automatic reactivity first by becoming fully aware that being swept along in automatic reactivity is... Continue Reading →
Mindfulness Training – a novice perspective
My team at Healthy Incentives signed up for an online mindfulness class in May to learn more about how it works, and to asses whether it might be a good individual action plan to offer next year. I fell in love. Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your life,... Continue Reading →