Stress is the disease of the new millennium: everyone is stressed, and everyone feels unwell because of stress. Mindfulness can help us managing the stress. We live in a world that moves fast, in demanding and competitive work environments, in a high-standard society, with new technologies that require us to be available 24/7, and we must deal with family problems, traffic, thoughts, and worries every single day.
The main sources of stress are the expectations we have for ourselves and the surrounding world: we want happy and perfect lives, safe and stable relationships, and satisfying jobs that value our skills. So we strive towards our happiness and desires, literally fight to keep everything under control, and to avoid obstacles and discomfort. Nevertheless, all of this is destined to become a constant source of stress. “Often, physical and psychological wellbeing depend on how people manage stress,” says Professor R.S. Lazarus “With the proper approach, stress can be kept under control, whereas physiological disorders and other forms of discomfort can be prevented.” Mindfulness is an excellent support in cases like these. Mindfulness is a state of awareness, it is mental presence that helps in “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 63).
Mindfulness helps us :
Mindfulness programs have a strong therapeutic power, which science is also now studying. No specific problem is necessary to benefit from Mindfulness: we can all become more self-aware, live fully in the present moment, and deal with life’s challenges in the best possible way.
Gloria Pansolli
Psychologist, Psychotherapist
Teacher of Mindfulness-based clinical protocols
At UPMC Institute for Health a Mindfulness Program is available.
For more information, click here.