10 Mindfulness Myths Debunked

Do you hear the word mindfulness referred to as a buzzword or view it as, dare I say, a trend? As someone who studies and lives by it, I’m always surprised by the myths I witness attached to mindfulness.

I meet people who are skeptical of the practice because they think it’s solely meditation or say they only use it during stressful periods in their life. I’m not here to tell you how to live or what to believe, but I’m here to explore what mindfulness is and what it is not. See 10 of the most common mindfulness myths debunked. This will allow you to learn more about the practice and, therefore, form your own opinion on the subject.

Mindfulness Myths Debunked

1. A passing trend.

Mindfulness is not a trend, but a way of life. It works and is, most of all, anything but a bunch of myths. People lose weight, defeat illness, mend relationships and improve their overall health and wellness using mindfulness. Mindfulness is living in the moment. It’s an intentional act and a practice that changes lives for the better.

2. Only for “free spirits.”

Meditation and living in the present moment improves brain function and memory and reduces stress. Some think mindfulness is weird or for hippies, especially if they don’t know much about it. Here are a few more facts to help you understand.

“Mindfulness has been a useful therapy for anxiety and depression for over a decade, and mindfulness websites like Get Some Head Space are attracting millions of subscribers. It’s being explored by schools, pro sports teams and military units to enhance performance, and is showing promise as a way of helping sufferers of chronic pain, addiction and tinnitus, too. Brain imaging techniques are revealing that this ancient practice can profoundly change the way different regions of the brain communicate with each other and how we think, permanently.

MRI scans show that after an eight-week course of mindfulness practice, the brain’s “fight or flight” center, the amygdala, appears to shrink. This primal region of the brain, associated with fear and emotion, produces the initiation of the body’s response to stress. As the amygdala shrinks, the pre-frontal cortex (associated with higher order brain functions such as awareness, concentration and decision-making) becomes thicker.

The “functional connectivity” between these regions (how often they’re activated together) also changes. The connection between the amygdala and the rest of the brain gets weaker, while the connections between areas associated with attention and concentration get stronger (Scientific American).”

3. Never planning for the future.

Living in the now doesn’t mean you don’t think about and make changes for a better future. Acceptance of what is leaves open the option to take action and change. For example, you may recognize and accept a bad habit and, therefore, commit to change your ways going forward.

4. It clashes with my religion.

Curiosity is a good thing, yet, it’s often an uncomfortable experience. Personally, I practice mindfulness apart from my religious beliefs and it works for me. Mindfulness is a way of being in the world. It involves compassion and intentional awareness. In addition, mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to thoughts, physical sensations and your environment without constantly feeling the need to judge what’s happening. To cultivate this present moment awareness, we pay attention on purpose, with an attitude of kindness to ourselves and others.

5. Teachers & students are always mindful.

Mindfulness isn’t about being perfect. It’s about calming the mind to cut ruminating thoughts and show love for yourself with self-care. Being mindful takes hard work, an open mind, great attention and practicing mindful activities and exercises. This myth, or assumption, in itself is a judgment. Teachers and students of mindfulness aren’t worried about appearing perfect or attaining the world’s and other people’s approval.

6. It’s boring & a waste of time.

The ironic part is that meditation and facing the now seems boring because we live in a busy world that’s always turned on. Our brains don’t even know what it means to relax anymore. We stare at computers, have less human interactions and move quickly to get as many things possible done as we can in a day. I don’t know about you, but working on myself and improving my mental health and well-being is anything but boring, or a waste of time.

7. It means condoning things that are wrong.

This brings me back to the idea of non-judgment, since right and wrong and good and bad are polarizing thoughts. These thoughts cause you to feel insecure about yourself and, therefore, like you’re not good enough or okay the way you are. Rules and laws are different from the thoughts you believe about yourself and the world around you. Positive thinking and compassion for yourself are two excellent ways to deflect negativity and avoid letting the outside world make you feel bad about yourself.

8. It’s about getting rid of your thoughts.

Mindfulness is not about getting rid of thoughts, but acknowledging them and letting them pass. The practice isn’t about being numb, but fully aware of your feelings, emotions, thoughts and assumptions. Also, meditation allows you to pay attention to your thoughts and let them float off like clouds in the sky. The present is all we have and that’s what makes mindfulness so great. You can start living the life you want now. Each new act and thought you generate is a chance begin again.

9. You’ll have a perfect life if you practice mindfulness.

We know this isn’t true, since one of the main reasons mindfulness works is because it challenges a perfectionist mindset and black and white thinking. Mindfulness isn’t about creating a perfect life. It’s about living the life that brings you happiness and makes you feel joyful. We aren’t math problems, rather, we’re humans who make mistakes, love too hard, fall to fast, stress too much and want to find happiness.

10. Mindfulness is just relaxation.

I’m not stressed or I do yoga, are a few examples where people may think they don’t need to live in the present moment. While relaxation, not being stressed and practicing yoga are all good things, they aren’t reasons to not practice or believe in the mindfulness myths.

Your mental health improves when you relax, destress and exercise, however, mindfulness, quite opposite, is an active practice that takes great awareness and consistency.. Mindfulness helps you control your emotions, temperament and stress all the time and, especially relevant, not just when you need it. Furthermore, your ups and downs will  decrease and you’ll feel grounded no matter the situation, person or thoughts you meet. Happiness is not far behind a grateful heart and a peaceful mind.

Conclusion about Mindfulness Myths

There you have it and, as a result, 10 mindfulness myths debunked. No matter if you practice mindfulness or not, I hope you find peace in your mind, heart and self, and are able to spread it to others. In conclusion, I leave you with these quotes.

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.
Thich Nhat Hanh

Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality.
Robin S. Sharma

In this moment, there is plenty of time, and you are precisely as you should be. In this moment, there is infinite possibility.
Victoria Moran

If you think you are beaten, you are.
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN!
Walter D. Wintle