What is Mindfulness?

Most of the time, the mind is either replaying something from the past or worrying about what might happen next. When attention is scattered all the time, the mind gets tired quickly. Small things feel overwhelming. Reactions become sharper than the situation deserves.

This is so, especially as we grow older — the brain tends to slip into habits repeating the same thoughts, the same reactions, the same worries. Long before memory problems appear, attention becomes restless. Mindfulness trains attention to stay, to notice, to slow down and return to the present moment.

Mindfulness is the brief return to this moment — the one you are already in. It is simply noticing what is happening right now, without trying to fix it or push it away. It does not mean stopping thoughts or forcing the mind to be calm. Thoughts ... Sensations ... Sounds ... they will all come. Mindfulness is recognising them as they arise and letting them pass, instead of getting pulled into them.

People who regularly bring their attention back to the present often notice that they forget less easily, stay mentally clearer, and feel less overwhelmed by noise and information. It becomes easier to follow a conversation, to finish a task, or to stay with what they are doing.

You don’t need a special posture or long practice. You are being mindful when you notice your breath while waiting, when you feel your feet as you walk, or when you realise that a thought is just a thought. A few moments of noticing the body, the breath, or what you are doing right now are enough to keep the mind active and responsive. Mindfulness is about staying present — and staying mentally alive.