Life is full of unpredictable events, people and circumstances. Time moves quickly and information overload is a barrage of other people’s perceptions being imposed on us in every given moment from everyday modern day devices. Life can be so overwhelming with fierce competition of this overpopulated society of tech savvy millennial. The incessant deluge of media can generate the comparability pattern and leave people feeling unqualified and exposed. Comparing oneself to others has even lead to suicide (Carr, 2015). While modern day life is full of outside influences that can cause anxiety, it is imperative that we gain back our personal control and be accountable for our thoughts, emotions and our lives.
When we take full responsibility, our market value will increase, our self-esteem will grow and our performance will improve. When we respect ourselves respect from others will follow (Smith, 2019). How do we become the best versions of ourselves? We become the best versions of ourselves by changing our mindset and holding ourselves accountable. When something mattered, my mother always said, “No one is going to work as hard for you as you will for yourself” and Audrey Hepburn said, “Remember, if you’re looking for a helping hand, there is one at the end of your arm” (Turu, 2016). The three most important types/areas of your life where accountability is crucial are (and these are scaled back sub-lists):
- Your responsibilities
- Returning calls in a timely manner
- Spending less than you earn
- Fulfilling your job requirements to the best of your ability
- Your actions and choices
- Communication
- Behavior
- Attitude
- Your goals
- Health & fitness
- Family objectives
- Career Ambitions
It is never too late (or too early) to take action in life, whether you are fifteen or fifty, cultivating accountability is the first step toward success (Smith, 2019). But how do we get there? How do we stop dwelling on past mistakes and refrain from being preoccupied (in unhealthy ways) by our uncertain future? For many, the answer to living a present life is mindfulness and as of late, mindfulness seems to have gone viral (Gjelsvik, B., Tickell, A., Baer, R., O’Neill, C., & Crane, C. 2018). It is common for mindfulness to be associated with meditation but there is so much more to it (Moore, 2019). According to the American Psychological Association (APA.org, 2012), mindfulness is:
“…a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment. In this sense, mindfulness is a state and not a trait. While it might be promoted by certain practices or activities, such as meditation, it is not equivalent to or synonymous with them.”
In essence, mindfulness involves awareness and an unbiased view of said awareness. It is a state that can be brought on through daily practice. Another interpretation, and one that is more widely accepted, originates with MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) creator Jon Kabat-Zinn (1944- ):
“The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” (Riopel, 2019).
Kabat-Zinn maintains that we must focus conscious attention on the ‘right here, right now’ (Moore, 2019). Tapping into the strong connection between the mind and pain, and/or the mind and anxiety to name just a couple of examples, can help reach appropriate emotional responses and to change behaviors (Riopel, 2019).
The Origins of Mindfulness
According to a Times Magazine (2015) cover story “The Mindful Revolution”, we are experiencing an obsession over mindfulness. Evidence-based findings suggest mindfulness has clear and relevant benefits (Pickert, 2014). Practitioners are able to quiet their busy mind and concentrate on events happening in the current moment. While mindfulness is a relatively new concept in Western cultures it is being used to alleviate conditions like substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, eating disorders and more (Hocevar, 2018). In actuality, mindfulness meditation is not all that new. It has been practiced in some way, shape or form, by every culture and religion for thousands of years. Mindfulness meditation practices seem to originate in the East by religious and spiritual institutions and popularized in the West by certain individuals and secular institutions (Selva, 2017). There is also evidence that spiritual meditation has been found in Indian scriptures dating back as far as 5,000 to 3,500 BCE (Hocevar, 2018).
In current times, the appearance of mindfulness meditation is credited mostly to Jon Kabat-Zinn, professor emeritus and founding director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society at University of Massachusetts’ Medical School. Kabat-Zinn is also founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at University of Massachusetts and the author of many best selling novels on the subject of mindfulness. His mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is offered by medical centers, health maintenance organizations and hospitals (Kabat-Zinn, 2019). His eight-week MBSR program is aimed at helping to reduce stress. MBSR has a deep-rooted foundation in Eastern teachings of mindfulness meditation that he integrated with Western science. It is said that this integration is what caused mindfulness to grow in population and respect as a methodology (Selva, 2017). MBSR is said to be the inspiration for another mindfulness-based therapy program aimed at treating major depressive disorders and is known as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). The intention of MBCT therapy is for people to change their unproductive thoughts. To help patients get a grasp on the correlation between mood disorders and various modes of the mind, MBCT uses proven psychological techniques (Selva, 2017). Like MBSR, MBST is usually taught in an eight-week format and MBST actually draws upon the structure and some of the approaches of MBSR in its program.
In 1979, mindfulness was not considered to help reduce stress, so Kabat-Zinn sought the assistance of Saki Santorelli, EdD, MA, educator, meditation teacher, writer and professor of medicine, to explore the use of mindful techniques to reduce mental stress, anxiety, and to concurrently improve physical symptoms. Santorelli was the one who helped develop the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic at University of Massachusetts and became director in 2000. As a result of the program being connected to a hospital it was accountable to the Hippocratic Oath and thereby gained the attention of the world and the media and respect was soon to follow. Today mindfulness is taught in healthcare institutions, professional sports, in corporate environments and in the U.S. Military (Hocevar, 2018).
Western science has finally evolved enough that evaluations can be made to the effectiveness of practicing mindfulness. It has been shown that there are many uses for mindfulness practices and even many different ways to practice. These options make it a perfect tool for many psychology models especially positive psychology (Selva, 2017).
Integrating Mindfulness Into Positive Psychology
A frequently asked question about mindfulness is whether it is a state or a trait. While research continues, what we do know is that mindfulness is not completely trait; studies have shown that we can boost and enhance our mindfulness through training, practice and effort (Ackerman, 2019). It would seem then, that mindfulness is a fantastic way to elevate current states of emotions and feelings and a great practice for self-care, thereby making it a great tool for integration into most psychological programs. It turns out mindfulness has been a significant player in the field of psychology possibly dating back to the foundation of the field (Ackerman, 2019). This partnership makes sense too when you consider the outcomes and results of mindfulness: better quality of life, more empathy, more satisfying relationships, greater hope and increased positivity (Vago & Silbersweig, 2012).
Psychologist Christopher Ward also lectures on the concept of living a compassionate and mindful presence and reiterates that it (mindfulness) has a powerful foundation in physiology and neuroscience. Dr. Ward also empathizes why it is critical for clinicians to train themselves in mindfulness and compassion. In his lecture he says, “Every day in our offices we’re asking our clients, our patients to be a little bit vulnerable. And we’re forgetting sometimes that it is part of our job to be more vulnerable, to take a risk as well. Your practice, your ability to stay calm, compassionate and connected that’s going be the most valuable. The most healing thing that you can offer your patients is your very mindful and compassionate presence. So it starts with us” (Ward, 2016).
In a recent study, researchers sought to make a direct link between positive psychology and mindfulness. The study, the Positive Mindfulness Program (PMP) integrated a series of positive psychology variables with mindfulness practices in an effort to improve well being scores measured in these variables. The theoretical foundation for the PMP was the positive mindfulness cycle based on positive intentions and savoring. The controlled trial consisted of a randomized wait-list and 168 participants (128 females, mean age = 40.82) completed tasks including daily videos, meditations and activities. Included in the variables test were well-being measures like self-compassion, self-efficacy, gratitude, meaning and autonomy. The data collected were from both experimental and control groups and were accumulated pre- and post-intervention that included one-month after the end of the trial. The PMP reflected positive results indicating that it (PMP) may be effective in elevating well being and other positive characteristics in adult, non-clinical populations (Ivtzan et al., 2016).
Like positive psychology, mindfulness focuses on personal strengths. It is said that mindfulness can act as a buffer to ward off depressive symptoms associated with discrimination, that it can improve working memory, and can make you more resilient, to name a few (Ackerman, 2019). But there is still much research to be done and it must be mentioned that mindfulness may not be right for everyone. A Psychologist should be aware of patient’s preconceived notions and self-image since that could put them at risk for adverse effects. A couple of examples, but by no means inclusive, would be the potential for problem avoidance, a reduced ability to determine what is real and what is not (Ackerman, 2019). Taking into account the various differences in human nature, personal individual experience, and other heightened and/or low level states, mindlessness, blunted thought or action, etc., it was a logical step therefore that a measurement test be developed. The research explored mindfulness as varying attributes between and within individuals and examined variations for well-being (Warren-Brown & Ryan, 2003).
Measuring Mindfulness & a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness.
Kirk Warren Brown and Richard M. Ryan at the University of Rochester conducted a research study of the benefits of being present. In this study the development and psychometric properties of the dispositional Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) are illustrated. The research included correlational, quasi-experimental and laboratory studies that showed that the MAAS measures a “unique quality of consciousness that is related to a variety of well-being constructs, that differentiates mindfulness practitioners from others, and that is associated with enhanced self-awareness”(Warren-Brown & Ryan, 2003). The MAAS primary focus was the awareness of events in a current moment. The presence (and absence) of attention to said present moment rather than the aspects such as gratitude, empathy or various other attributes associated with mindfulness. In an attempt to deepen the validity of the MAAS, they tested whether the scale distinguished persons engaged in the cultivation of mindfulness from others (Warren-Brown & Ryan, 2003).
The Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale were duplicated in a large university sample (n= 711) where the MAAS was again found to be a promising and valid measure of mindfulness (MacKillop & Anderson. 2007).
Mindfulness as a practice has long since proven to be valuable and advantageous within a wide and diverse group of psychological disorders and also for stress reduction. A study at the Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston provided an integrative theoretical framework and systems-based neurobiological model that validated the processes by which mindfulness reduces biases related to self-processing and created a perceivable healthy mind. Their framework was made up of self-awareness, -regulation, and -transcendence (S-ART). The S-ART framework uses the basic assumption that our cognitions, perception, and emotions related to our ordinary experiences can, by varying degrees, be biased and/or distorted. And thereby illustrates a technique for becoming conscious (aware) of the conditions that cause (and remove) said distortions and/or biases.
It would seem that we could only benefit from further study, analysis and practice to heighten our understanding of the nature of this important and significant modality. It must be encouraging that we have options and most of us have the advantage of being able to make our own choices. We can choose to be accountable and take action toward a better understanding of our (automatic) thoughts, feelings, transferences, reactions, interactions, self-care, self-regulation and more. This list can be endless. The benefits of practicing mindfulness and mindfulness meditation coupled with the elements and tools of positive psychology will be different for everyone. But most of us would admit that the possibility of taming a wondering mind and/or relief from physical discomfort, to name just a couple of possible benefits, is very intriguing and therefore worth a try.
References
Ackerman, C. (2019). Mindfulness and Positive Psychology: A Look at the Benefits and Links. Retrieved 16 September 2019, from https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-positive-psychology-3-great-insights/
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 8(4), 822-848. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822.
Carr, Ph.D., D. (2015). 3 Reasons to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others. Retrieved 14 September 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bouncing-back/201508/3-reasons-stop-comparing-yourself-others
Hocevar, R. (2018). Mindfulness. Salem Press Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=109057083&site=eds-live&scope=site
Gjelsvik, B., Tickell, A., Baer, R., O’Neill, C., & Crane, C. (2018). Mindfulness and clinical science. Psychologist, 22–25. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=133143475&site=eds-live&scope=site
Ivtzan, I., Young, T., Martman, J. et al. Mindfulness (2016) 7: 1396. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-016-0581-1
Kabat-Zinn, Jon. (2019). Retrieved 15 September 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kabat-Zinn
MacKillop, J. & Anderson, E.J. J. (2007). Further psychometric validation of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)
(2007) 29: 289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-007-9045-1
Moore, C. (2019). What Is Mindfulness? Definition + Benefits (Incl. Psychology). Retrieved 15 September 2019, from https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-mindfulness/
Selva, J. (2017). History of mindfulness: From east to west and religion to science. Retrieved 15 September 2019, from https://positivepsychology.com/history-of-mindfulness/
Riopel, L. (2019). Mindfulness and the Brain: What Does Research and Neuroscience Say?. Retrieved 15 September 2019, from https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-brain-research-neuroscience/
Smith, T. (2019). Personal Accountability—A Requirement for Life Advancement. Retrieved 14 September 2019, from http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/blog/2010/10/07/personal-accountability—a-requirement-for-life-advancement/
Turu, P. (2016). 25 Ways Audrey Hepburn Taught Us The Meaning Of Kindness. Retrieved 15 September 2019, from https://culturacolectiva.com/movies/25-audrey-hepburn-quotes-to-learn-about-kindness
Vago, D. R., & Silbersweig, D. A. (2012). Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 6, 296. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2012.00296
Ward, Christopher (2016).The science of mindfulness and compassionate presence. (2016). Eau Claire, WI: PESI Inc. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsasp&AN=edsasp.ASP3584852.marc&site=eds-live&scope=site
Warren-Brown, K., & Ryan, R. (2003). Retrieved 16 September 2019, from https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2003_BrownRyan.pdf