Blog #3

CM125 Day 3 Blog Assignment

Making Connections between Mindfulness Awareness

and the Observation Process

In Chapter 1 of our text, Thinking for Yourself, author Marlys Mayfield describes how the process of observing something is fundamental in developing effective critical thinking skills. For this entry, you are asked to explore the potential connections between mindfulness awareness and the observation process.

Directions:

Find and insert into your blog entry a link to either a website or a brief video clip that introduces the concept of mindfulness.

"Mindfulness of current emotions, a DBT skill, by definition asks us to observe, describe, and allow ourselves to have emotions without judging them or trying to inhibit them, block them, or distract from them."

https://www.thebehavioraltherapycollective.com/blog/2021/2/20/mindfulness-of-current-emotions#:~:text=Mindfulness%20of%20current%20emotions%2C%20a,them%2C%20or%20distract%20from%20them.

In 2-3 paragraphs, explain how using mindfulness may enhance your ability to observe more fully and more accurately.

    What is mindfulness? "A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique." - google. Being open-minded is being acceptable while being mindful is being aware.

Now that we know what it means let's dive into it.

    Mindfulness enhances your ability to observe more effectively because it allows you to be aware of yourself, others, and all situations. In this, you can easily observe and understand at the same time. For example, your friend is having trouble at home and is easily triggered when certain things are brought up. You can be accepting of her feeling the way she does, but if you are not aware of how she may feel you can never truly understand where she is coming from. Being acceptable to her feelings is giving her that space to release and being aware is knowing that you have to be careful with what you say and/or what situations you try to include her in.

The example listed above is of course not the worse situation, however, it helps break down how hand and hand mindfulness is in our lives. Mindfulness allows us to engage our brains in ways that push them to go further. Furthering our understanding as to what it means to be understood or to observe situations that we may not connect to. Connection is what we seek and feel we should have in order to understand, but mindfulness can give us the connection of awareness so we can try to place ourselves in the shoes of the misunderstood.