--- title: The origins of mindfulness and it’s benefits for our wellbeing | Plumm description: Mindfulness is a concept that has started to feature more prominently in our modern-daynarratives, especially as we try to navigate the stressful and high-pressure environments thatwe so often find ourselves in. However, mindfulness is no modern invention, and has beenaround for thousands of years – generally believed to have originated 2,500 years ago. Thepractise has image: https://www.heyplumm.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pexels-rfstudio-3820380-1200x675.jpg --- ![Read full post: The origins of mindfulness and it’s benefits for our wellbeing](https://www.heyplumm.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pexels-rfstudio-3820380-1200x675.jpg) [Self-Help](https://www.heyplumm.com/wellbeing/tag/self-help) [self care](https://www.heyplumm.com/wellbeing/tag/self-care) [Mental Health](https://www.heyplumm.com/wellbeing/tag/mental-health) # The origins of mindfulness and it’s benefits for our wellbeing Written by [ Plumm Editor ](https://www.heyplumm.com/wellbeing/author/plumm-editor) Published On 01 July, 2023 [* *](https://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.plummhealth.com%2Fself-help%2Fthe-origins-of-mindfulness-and-its-benefits-for-our-wellbeing%2F&text=Mindfulness%20is%20a%20concept%20that%20has%20started%20to%20feature%20more%20prominently%20in%20our%20modern-daynarratives%2C%20especially%20as%20we%20try%20to%20navigate%20the%20stressful%20and%20high-pressure%20environments%20thatwe%20so%20often%20find%20ourselves%20in.%20However%2C%20mindfulness%20is%20no%20modern%20invention%2C%20and%20has%20beenaround%20for%20thousands%20of%20years%20%E2%80%93%20generally%20believed%20to%20have%20originated%202%2C500%20years%20ago.%20Thepractise%20has) # The origins of mindfulness and it’s benefits for our wellbeing   [![](https://www.heyplumm.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/13526f09add060ea58278920c80dd20f-Jun-29-2023-01-30-03-5053-PM-Jul-01-2023-05-07-57-1802-PM.jpeg?width=28&height=28&name=13526f09add060ea58278920c80dd20f-Jun-29-2023-01-30-03-5053-PM-Jul-01-2023-05-07-57-1802-PM.jpeg) ](https://blog.plummhealth.com/author/healingclouds/) [Caileen Lubbe](https://blog.plummhealth.com/author/healingclouds/), [ 5 months ago ](https://blog.plummhealth.com/self-help/the-origins-of-mindfulness-and-its-benefits-for-our-wellbeing/) [** 0 ](https://blog.plummhealth.com/self-help/the-origins-of-mindfulness-and-its-benefits-for-our-wellbeing/#comments) ** 5 min read ** 29   Mindfulness is a concept that has started to feature more prominently in our modern-day narratives, especially as we try to navigate the stressful and high-pressure environments that we so often find ourselves in. However, mindfulness is no modern invention, and has been around for thousands of years – generally believed to have originated 2,500 years ago. The practise has its roots in early Eastern religions, namely Hinduism and Buddhism, and over time it has also gained a secular presence in Western science and philosophy. Today, many people around the world utilise mindfulness as a valuable tool for maintaining a healthier, more balanced, and more purpose driven life. In this blog post, we unpack the concept of mindfulness by exploring in more detail what it is, how to incorporate it into our daily lives, and the various benefits it holds for different areas of our wellbeing. ## Mindfulness in a nutshell If you are new to the concept of mindfulness or have only briefly heard of it in passing, here’s a simple definition of what it entails: Mindfulness is a state of awareness which you enter into by being fully present in the moment and purposely paying attention to your experience and surroundings in a curious, nonjudgmental, and open-minded way. Whilst many people consider mindfulness to be a practice or activity, it is more of an ongoing quality that you integrate into your daily living and your overarching way of existing. That is why you will often hear people talk about “living more mindfully.” Unlike formal meditation or the practise of yoga and other related activities, mindfulness is not limited to a particular place and time and can be applied throughout the day as you go about your routine. Simply put, mindfulness requires you to redirect your focus to the present moment so that you are able to fully appreciate and engage with your surroundings and/or the task at hand, without allowing past or future worries to affect your current thoughts and feelings. ## Mindfulness in action When we don’t live mindfully, our minds are more likely to be plagued by fleeting thoughts, worries, and obsessions, which can in turn lead to unnecessary stress, anxiety, and an overall dissatisfaction with life. We may even experience a mind-body disconnect, which can lead us to become estranged from our true purpose and our most authentic self. Fortunately, mindfulness can easily be achieved once we become aware of all the ways in which it can be implemented. We can start by paying attention to every sight, smell, taste, sound, and texture that’s available to us in our environment, and consciously express gratitude for the fact that our senses allow us to experience all of these sensations. When things become overwhelming, we can bring our attention to our breathing, and remind ourselves that some things are outside of our control – and that that’s ok. We can pause to reflect on what we are grateful for and re-evaluate some of our thoughts or worries. Instead of looking at ourselves, those around us, or events in our lives with judgement or contempt, we can choose to be more empathic, accepting, and optimistic. We can even remind ourselves to practice gratitude once a day for the things we have in life, both the big things and the little things, and acknowledge our self-worth, progress, and achievements more readily. ## The benefits of mindfulness for wellbeing ***Mind*** The cognitive and psychological benefits of mindfulness are plenty. Mindfulness allows you to clear your mind and dim out a lot of the ‘noise’ that results from an overstimulated or overworked brain. In today’s world, many of us find ourselves having to sift through an overwhelming amount of information every day, and this can leave us feeling mentally fatigued. By bringing yourself back to the present moment and grounding yourself within your immediate surroundings, you give your mind a chance to relax and reset. This promotes mental clarity, improves your ability to concentrate, increases mental flexibility, and helps you view situations and problems more objectively. Living more mindfully can also help to significantly reduce the occurrence of stress and anxiety, making one less prone to developing other serious mental health issues such as burnout or depression. ***Body*** Mindfulness is not just good for the mind, but also for the body. When we live more mindfully, we are likely to lead more balanced and satisfied lives, which can help us deal better with external stressors and adversity in our lives. This means that we will be less likely to experience prolonged, high levels of stress, making us less likely to develop hypertension, bodily pains, or other physical ailments linked to chronic stress. We are also less likely to experience anxiety and its accompanying somatic symptoms such as heart palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, or body aches. Furthermore, when we have greater mental clarity and a higher threshold for adversity, we are likely to make more well-informed decisions under pressure and are therefore less likely to act out impulsively or behave in ways that are potentially harmful to ourselves and others. ***Social connections*** It is said that mindfulness improves one’s capacity for self-control, meaning that individuals who live mindfully are more likely to base their actions on logical reasoning and moral consideration as opposed to acting on impulse. Because higher levels of self-control tend to be viewed as admirable in many social contexts, this can be greatly beneficial to a person’s social wellbeing and their relationships with others. In addition, mindfulness also helps us maintain a healthy self-awareness, which is essential for building healthy and meaningful relationship both with ourselves and with others. Perhaps one of the most notable social benefits of living more mindfully is the fact that it heightens our emotional intelligence and increases our ability to show kindness, compassion, and acceptance towards other people. These are basic social skills that are incredibly valuable to us in every social interaction we have with another human being, and we are more likely to build strong and positive connections with others if we have developed these areas of our personalities. ## Reflections Mindfulness is a wonderful tool that can be used during meditation and moments of silence, but it doesn’t have to stop there. We can choose to use mindfulness every day as our compass for navigating our complex, challenging, and often confusing world. It can help us to become more resilient in the face of change and adversity, and more appreciative in the rare moments of victory and beauty. 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