Mindfulness is a Skill, not a Practice

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves.” — Mahatma Gandhi — “*As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves.*”
— Mahatma Gandhi

Mindfulness as a practice for better health has exploded. But what does it mean to be “mindful?” I used to think mindfulness is something you do for 10 minutes a day, sitting in the lotus pose on a small pillow. Mindfulness, however, is not an activity, but a skill.

Mindfulness is the skill to be present of yourself, your feelings, your thoughts, your actions, and your surroundings. Meditations on Calm or Headspace are not “mindfulness” on their own - they’re workouts to develop the mindfulness muscle.

Ideally, these practices make you better at tackling the challenges you face in your daily life. Similar to how strength training makes it easier to carry groceries or walk up stairs, mindfulness makes it easier to stay aware of your emotions when you’re dealing with real-life challenges like annoying traffic or stressful meetings at work.
This means that meditating can be treated more like your daily workout, and less like a luxury activity. It’s an investment in your strength, except its mental strength and not physical.

So if you are picking up mindfulness practices through apps, don’t forget to flex those skills as you go through your daily life. If someone cuts you off, practice awareness of your anger. When you’re winding down for bed, remember the breathing exercises you’ve learned. That’s what they’re there for.

—Erik Pavia, CEO