Mindfulness is not about just ‘clearing your mind’ - it is more about observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

The art of observation is like noticing what makes a difference in how you can ‘try to be’ non-judgmental about your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations and this can lead to greater self-awareness.

Think of your body as an anchor and ground yourself in the present moment. Just a simple technique such as focusing on your breathing or the feeling of your feet on the floor, to ground yourself when you feel overwhelmed.

Dwelling on the past, is a cycle of repetitive, negative thinking about past events. It's not constructive problem solving - instead, it involves replaying a situation and obsessing over what went wrong, often fuelling feelings of depression and anxiety.

Dwelling on the future, worry is a form of mind wandering that focuses on uncertain, negative future outcomes. While it can serve a purpose by helping us anticipate threats, excessive worry is a core symptom of anxiety disorders and keeps us from enjoying the present moment that you are living in.

Please do bear in mind that ‘not’ all mind wandering is negative. Sometimes the brain wanders to creatively solve problems or make plans without conscious effort. This can be useful, but can also deter and un-focus you from whatever you are currently doing.

From an evolutionary perspective the ability to mentally learn from past mistakes and plan for future challenges, was crucial for survival. In the modern world, this instinct can become a restriction, creating distress when there are no immediate threats to solve.

The brain may wander as a way to avoid discomfort or boredom. When faced with difficult emotions or a mundane task, we may subconsciously seek out more stimulating thoughts through daydreaming or replaying memories.

Mindfulness trains your attention like a muscle, helping you become aware of your mind’s wandering and redirects it with conscious intention.

It is not about eliminating thoughts but about changing your relationship with them.
Mindfulness begins with recognising when your mind has wandered. Instead of being completely lost in thought, you start to notice when your attention has drifted to the past or future. This is the first and most crucial step toward regaining control.

Mindfulness practice involves observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Rather than criticising yourself for a wandering mind, you simply acknowledge the mental event ("that's a thought about the past") and let it pass. This disarms the cycle of negative rumination and self-criticism.

Once you notice your mind has wandered; mindfulness provides an anchor to bring it back to the present moment. This anchor is often your breath, but it can also be a physical sensation, a sound, or a specific task.

By deliberately focusing on this anchor, you train your attention to stay in the here and now.

Consistent mindfulness practice strengthens the neural networks associated with focus and attention. This has been shown to decrease mind wandering and improve working memory. With practice, it becomes easier to sustain your focus and less taxing to return your attention to the present when it drifts.

Mindfulness helps you become less reactive and more flexible in your thinking. Instead of getting caught in a habitual thought loop, you can observe a thought and choose not to follow it. This gives you greater control over your mental state and allows you to integrate new information and respond to situations in a more adaptive way

“You either control your mind or it controls you”