Mindfulness can be defined as 'having our complete attention on the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis’, or ‘paying attention on purpose, non-judgmentally, in the present moment’. This state of Mind is central to Buddhist practice, and to traditional Eastern arts like Tea Ceremony and Martial Arts. Mindfulness can also be achieved via these practices and others, like meditation. Practices that lead us to Mindfulness are now being explored as a way to focus the ‘Wandering Mind' and reduce stress. Research shows that the average mind spends 50-80% of the time ‘wandering’. In these moments, we are here, yet not here. At home, we miss-out on the richness of moments with our children and loved-ones. At work, our ‘absent minds’ lead to mistakes, inefficiency and presenteeism. While it is natural for the Mind to wander, its ‘negativity bias’ predisposes us to over-focus on future worry or past regrets, causing bad moods, negativity, and the release of stress hormones that disrupt nervous system balance and reduce our immunity to sickness. With our Health and Quality of Life at stake, it helps us to notice if our Mind starts wandering, and to return to the present moment where we are less likely to get triggered or stressed. Mindfulness practices can help, but many take time to master or benefit from. 'Gratitude Point' was developed to remedy this, as a Mindfulness practice we can benefit from instantly, without prior practice, and regardless of current mental state. Gratitude Point is part of the Reset® method. We share it here as an effective stand-alone resource, and encourage you to use it freely and share it widely.
The Practice..
1. Randomly point at something you can see.
2. Name what you are pointing at and say: 'Thank you'
3. Think of a reason to feel grateful for that thing and say the reason.
Examples..
a) Point at a tree..
⇒ ‘Tree, thank you. Thank you for giving me oxygen.’
b) Point at your feet..
⇒ ‘Feet, thank you. Thank you for taking me places.’
c) Point at a chair..
⇒ ‘Chair, thank you. Thank you for supporting me.’
＊ Point first, think second, and try not to overthink it. Don't worry if you don’t feel genuine gratitude. The aim is to train your Mind to focus fully on the present moment. Gratitude will inevitably follow.
For best results, practice this 4-5 times when you wake-up to start the day feeling present and positive, last thing at night to help you switch-off before sleep, and any time you find yourself feeling negative or focusing on things that don't serve you. In doing so, you will soon find yourself feeling more positive, enjoying smoother relationships, being more focused and productive at work, and enjoying each moment of Life.
In Detail..
Only humans point. It is the first communicative gesture that we develop, weeks before our first spoken word. Pointing plays a key role in language acquisition, and is most commonly used to engage others by indicating or sharing something of interest. Our movements, gestures, and vocalizations during Gratitude Point are thought to activate what Stephen Porges calls our Social Nervous System. This is the part of the nervous system that enables peaceful human connection, inhibits stress and trauma reactions, maintains autonomic balance, and enables us to mobilize or immobilize without fear so we can experience play and intimacy. With this part of the Nervous System engaged, we experience health in our body, mind, relationships, workplaces, and society.
The power of Gratitude is well-known. Research consistently links it to greater happiness and suggests that it helps us to improve our health, feel positive emotions, build strong relationships, and deal with adversity. Workplace studies show that when managers say ‘Thank you', their employees feel more motivated and work harder. In this era when social media leaves us comparing ourselves to others, Gratitude helps us to refocus on what we have instead of what we lack, to appreciate what we have in this moment, instead of always reaching for expereinces or things that we hope will make us happy in some future moment. Expressing Gratitude for this moment helps us to refocus the wandering Mind and improve our Mental Health and Quality of Life.
