Whether we mean to or not we impact one another with our words, attitudes, and actions.
Mindfulness helps us be more aware of the impact others have on us. Some people have an uplifting effect while others leave us feeling depleted and deflated.
We can bring more awareness to our interactions by paying attention to our breathing, thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
We ground ourselves by paying attention to the breath moving in and out of the body.
We may notice our mind racing with thoughts like, “How dare this person speak to me this way?”
We may notice feelings such as sadness, disappointment, frustration or anger.
We may notice sensations in the body. The face is flushed or there’s a knot in the stomach.
Awareness in the present moment isn’t so easy when someone is saying or doing something we don’t like. This is why we count on our BFF—the breath!
This self-regulation helps us keep calm so that the next thing we say or do doesn’t create more pain and problems.
Mindfulness also helps us determine potential actions we might take to feel more in charge. For example, we may choose to be assertive and communicate how we feel.
Ultimately we want to spend less time with people who have a negative impact on us. And more time with people who have a positive impact on us.
This is critical in order to craft a happy, resilient life.
