Mindfulvedana

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The Risks of Rushed Wellbeing Practices: Rethinking Corporate Wellness Initiatives for Lasting Impact

Nowadays, wellbeing has become a buzzword, often found at the top of corporate agendas. Yet, as organizations scramble to implement wellness programs, the risk of practicing wellbeing on autopilot looms large. Rushing through wellbeing practices can undermine their intended benefits, leading to a superficial approach that fails to cultivate genuine wellness among employees. Many corporate wellbeing programs have devolved into a checklist mentality offerings, where short workshops and brief sessions are offered merely to tick " wellbeing and mental health offered" boxes. This hurried approach can lead to employees feeling overwhelmed rather than supported. When wellbeing initiatives are crammed into 30-minute sessions or rushed workshops, the depth and quality of learning are sacrificed. The result? Employees may find themselves participating in wellbeing activities without truly engaging or understanding their significance. This superficial engagement can foster a sense of ...

Why Breathowork for Nervous System Regulation?

When we are stressed or anxious, our sympathetic nervous system is activated, also known as the "fight or flight" response which causes an increase in heart rate, shallow breathing, and tense muscles. Staying in that state for prolonged periods of time may be detrimental to your health as it can lead to sever alignments in the body. Breathwork is a powerful tool that can help regulate the nervous system and manage stress levels. By simply changing the pattern of our breathing we can directly affect our nervous system and go into a state of relaxation. Here are some of the benefits of practicing daily breathwork: 1. Activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System: The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's rest and digest response, which promotes relaxation and counteracts the stress response. Deep, slow breathing techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing or box breathing, stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, triggering a relaxation response....

Has "positivity" become a toxic buzzword?

In today's fast-paced and high-pressure world, the concept of positivity has become something of a buzzword. From motivational quotes plastered across social media to self-help books promising the key to achieving happiness. There seems to be a general consensus that positivity is the ultimate goal. While cultivating a positive mindset can indeed have numerous benefits for mental health and overall well-being, an over focusing on positivity can actually do more harm than good and become what we call “toxic positivity. Toxic positivity refers to the belief that one should maintain a positive outlook and attitude at all times, no matter what challenges or struggles they may be facing, including adversity or difficult situations. While positive thinking can often be helpful and empowering, toxic positivity takes it to an extreme. It discourages individuals from acknowledging their negative emotions or seeking help when needed, instead encouraging them to simply "think positive...

Where do Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Mindfulness intersect and are they interdependent?

Both EQ and mindfulness are profound concepts that have gained significant attention in the fields of psychology, personal development, and workplace dynamics. While they are distinct practices, they share an interdependent relationship. Let’s explore the intersection of emotional intelligence and mindfulness by first defining both concepts.

What is the relationship between mindfulness and eating habits?

Mindfulness is our ability to remain present in the moment we are in and be aware of what is happening around us (external environment and stimuli) and what is happening within us (emotional state, feelings, body sensations and physical cues). Practicing mindfulness help improve our awareness increasing our attention to external stimuli that may be affecting our eating habits and to our internal emotional state that may be the root cause of our eating habits! There is significant research proving that mindfulness techniques improve unhealthy eating habits and develop a more positive and healthy relationship with food. Weight gain, in certain cases is a result of emotional eating and without awareness of the root cause of this habit, it will be more challenging to break or change it! Studies have also reported that mindfulness practice can reduce physiological distress such as depression, anxiety, stress, and eating behaviors including binge and emotional eating. In...

IS MINDFULNESS ESSENTIAL FOR WELLBEING?

IS MINDFULNESS ESSENTIAL FOR WELLBEING? What is mindfulness and how is it related to wellness? Well, in simple terms mindfulness is awareness! It is our ability to be fully present in the moment we are in, aware of what is happening around us and what is happening within us, while accepting our experience as is without judgment! Professor Jon Kabat Zin (founding Executive Director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School) and developer of MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) program) defines it as “… paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” It is a purposeful attention that gives us the opportunity to pause, reflect and then decide how to act, creating a space within us to respond rather than react. Mindfulness has been shown to have significant psychological and physiological benefits when properly taught and practice...