This month I am hosting a series of drop in sessions for my colleagues as part of a focused month of mindfulness meditation at work.

Each day I witness firsthand the exorbitant amount of stress that my colleagues are under. On a regular basis, I'll feel the same sensation of being overwhelmed as the tasks and obligations of the day pile up - that feeling is only human. Its no wonder that in the 21st century, we are collectively stressed as a society. We are technologically dependent on devices that connect us to a constant stream of distraction 24/7 between work emails that follow us home, daily news coverage that bombards us with the adversities of the world, and social media feeds magnifying a petrie dish of social comparison. Amidst all of this distraction, the way the human brain functions is to default to a hyper focus on events of the past or anticipation/worry about the future. Straddling between the past and the present, our minds are rarely present. Many of us don't even realize we're breathing until we're asked to.

Learn more about how mindfulness re-connects brain and body in this audio clip: The Power of the Present

So in 2017, a recent report from the American Psychological Association shows that Americans are officially more stressed. We need to do something about this, and mindfulness meditation is one of the most scientifically proven exercises to get us there. We know the value of physical exercise - now how do we make mental exercise more mainstream? I've heard the naysayers talk about mindfulness meditation not having immediate effects or being too difficult of a tactic to make a lasting impact on stress levels, compared to something obvious like a vacation. But most of us can't wait until we take a vacation to combat rising levels of stress and take a proactive stance every day. Listen to my 3 Tips to Begin Your Own Practice for some easy steps to start and try out mindfulness today.

More Mindfulness in March tips to come this month!