Mindfulness means being fully present so that we know what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.  Becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better. The self awareness practicing mindfulness has brought me has been a key component in my recovery from anorexia. It taught me to catch my thoughts and notice what was happening in my mind and body as a result of the thought. That said, when a therapist first recommended mindfulness to me, I was resistant and actually asked her who had time for stuff like that in their lives! I’m so glad I was open to giving it a try.

When we become more aware of the present moment, we begin to experience things that we may have been taking for granted in a new way.  Mindfulness also allows us to become more aware of the stream of thoughts and feelings that we experience and to see how we can become entangled in that stream in ways that are not helpful, especially when we are trying to recovery from an eating disorder or break unhealthy habits and coping skills we may have been using for many years.  Mindfulness helps us to stand back from our thoughts and start to see their patterns and how those patterns impact on our behaviours.

Gradually, by using Mindfulness, we can train ourselves to notice when our thoughts are taking over and realise that thoughts are simply 'mental events' that do not have to control us and are, instead, just temporary experiences. As I often tell myself and my clients, “We can’t control the thoughts that pop into our head, but we can chose what to do with those thoughts”. Mindfulness helps us to recognise more quickly when unhealthy thoughts arise and offers the opportunity to pause and decide what to do next rather than automatically reacting.

Practicing Mindfulness regularly can help people to become more aware of their thoughts and emotions in a way that helps them notice signs of stress or anxiety earlier so that they can deal with things in a healthy, productive way rather than let them build up and feel overwhelming and unmanageable.

Below are some of the mindfulness practices that I’ve used over the years of my recovery. Some may work for you, some might not. Lean into curiosity and trust that just become one doesn't work, it doesn’t mean none of them will. And remember, mindfulness doesn’t have to be a formal practice, we can choose to be mindful at any time in any place simply by tuning into our senses and paying attention.