Mindfulness is one of those words that can be defined and re-defined so many ways and so many times that it becomes almost meaningless and nowhere near focused enough to give us the sense of purpose we were looking for in the first place. Shauna Shapiro’s Intention + Attention + Attitude model describes mindfulness as a sense of awareness that occurs when all three of the above support each other in focusing on one point. Remember that mindfulness is always a moving target and, if we ever catch it, the mere act of noticing how mindful we’re being shakes us out of it. The same could be said though of working out- once we are no longer sweating after that one mile run or straining under that set of weights, it’s time to move up a class. Don’t stress the fact that mindfulness is ‘hard’- that just means you’re pushing up against your own limitations. Check out some of the resources below describing how we can use our intentions to manage our focus and cultivate a compassionate attitude, leading to a more mindful and peaceful way of being.
Mindfulness: What is it, does it work and how? by Shivani Parikh for the EDIT lab blog
Mindfulness Meditation – Intention, Attention, Attitude from Adaptive Edge Coaching
Training in attention, intention, and attitude. from The School of We
Meet Shauna Shapiro and read an excerpt from her book “Good Morning, I Love You” Interviewed by Ari Saperstein
Replacing Shame with Kind Attention by Dr. Ron Passfield for Grow Mindfulness
Meditate with Intention by Dr. Ron Passfield for Grow Mindfulness
Wandering mind not a happy mind by Steve Bradt for The Harvard Gazette
Mechanisms of Mindfulness by Shauna L. Shapiro, Linda E. Carlson, John A. Astin, Benedict Freedman for JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Vol. 62(3), 373–386 (2006)
22 Mindfulness Exercises & Activities For Adults by Courtney E. Ackerman for Positive Psychology
Self-Compassion.org Exercises
Bringing The Heart Into The Present
