Creating space in one’s life to become more mindful of how they interact with the outside world and how they let it affect them is important. Knowing the difference between what is significant and what are distractions can help lead one to increased satisfaction in all aspects of life. 10-minute mindfulness: 71 habits for living in the present moment by Scott and Davenport (2017) describes small exercises that show how one can decrease perceived stressful situations and find meaning in daily tasks and encounters.
Book
I chose to read this particular book by Scott and Davenport due to its relativity to the way I have been feeling in my day-to-day life in the past year. With my children both out of the house, and transitioning into a new life
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Deep down, I know it is important to make an effort with those that you hold dearest, but I take my time available with my spouse for granted, almost like I count living with someone qualifying for interaction. For example, my husband and I have very dissimilar interests. He loves sports and history. I love cheesy romance dramas and reading about celebrity gossip on my off days. We do make it a point to see a movie every two weeks, but I feel like we need to utilize the time we have alone nowadays to reconnect. Scott and Davenport (2017) make a point under the mindful practice to “Reconnect with Your Relationships” with a subtitle that reads “Set aside time with your spouse or partner first,” and reading it made me think about all the time I have already lost not trying to date my husband again. One day I asked him how he views our time together. He described how we speak about news from friends we have on Facebook and the chores that need to be done, but then it was hard for him to come up with much else. I utilized his attention to make a point that we were going to start dating again. He laughed and said that we have been married for 25 years and that I was being silly, but agreed. We started by putting our phones away for 20 minutes before going to bed to talk about our days and if either had heard from our daughters. The book stated that we needed to “practice active listening, being fully present with your spouse without …show more content…
al., 2015) and that loving-kindness meditation has a connection to increased life satisfaction (Hoge et. al., 2013). Both articles corroborate with the positive effects of mindfulness talked about in the book by Scott and Davenport (2017). In the study about loving-kindness meditation, they measured telomere length in practitioners of the meditation that have at least four years of experience and an average usage of 512 hours. This practice of altruism through meditation was found to be related to increased telomeres in the female practitioners compared to a control group that did not meditate and was similar in life-long exposure to trauma and other major stressors, leading to this study supporting increased contentment, as described by Scott and Davenport (Hoge, et. al., 2013). In the meta-analytic review conducted by Hold-Lunsted, individuals who were physically socially isolated, perceived loneliness, and lived alone were 26%-32% had an “increased likelihood of mortality” and that those under the age of 65-years-old were more affected than those 65 or older by the objective/subjective isolation (Hold-Lunstand et. al., 2015). In relation to Scott and Davenport’s novel, this describes how isolation from reconnection can harbor physical detriments and helps to support mindful social
I love and am extremely defensive of my own picked snippets of isolation, however I additionally realize that drawn out stretches of time alone can send me into a depressive state, or make me feel like I 'm going insane. All the more particularly, a sort of frenzy sets in when I understand only i 'm with my considerations with nobody to attest or prevent the legitimacy from claiming what I 'm considering. When I 'm without anyone else 's input for a really long time, I begin to notice my own sense of reality of who I truly am and what the world is truly like. I needed to be with other people in light of the fact that they are such a critical piece of how I learn and make the most of my life and my explanation behind living. All individuals appear to rely on upon differing sums and emotion of socialgatehrings to keep
Russell (1978), (http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jedp/article/download/46795/25238) established the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness scale, which has been widely employed to this day, and performed a theoretical factor analysis for loneliness. His research and results attracted broad attention around the world. Loneliness can be studied by three approaches: the cognitive process approach, the human needs approach and the behavioral approach. The cognitive process approach emphasizes an individual’s mental awareness and assesses his or her social
If someone told you that social isolation kills more people than obesity does, would you believe it (Olien)? Social isolation can go beyond the idea of someone locking themselves in their room and not interacting with anyone (physical isolation). It can also be when someone is not feeling connected to society or a certain person (emotional isolation). In fact, in the short story “To Room Nineteen” by Doris Lessing, the protagonist of the story, Susan, found herself needing frequent absences from her family which eventually drove her to commit suicide. People isolate themselves for many different reasons and this feeling of isolation can very much lead to death. Social isolation is a serious medical condition and there are many effects on the mind that can come along which can eventually lead to voluntary and/or involuntary death.
Isolation can be a somber subject. Whether it be self-inflicted or from the hands of others, isolation can be the make or break for anyone. In simpler terms, isolation could range anywhere from not fitting into being a complete outcast due to personal, physical, or environmental factors. It is not only introverted personalities or depression that can bring upon isolation. Extroverts and active individuals can develop it, but they tend to hide it around crowds of other people. In “Richard Cory,” “Miniver Cheevy,” The Minister’s Black Veil,” and “Not Waving but Drowning,” E.A. Robinson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Stevie Smith illustrate the diverse themes of isolation.
Some relationships last a lifetime and others are destroyed for various reasons. Marriage is in my view one of the most fragile relationships in today's society. Although it is scientifically proven that the family is the place where a person can develop physically and intellectually in a harmonious way, and can maintain his/her physical and mental health, today many families are falling apart, causing much suffering not only to the partners but also to the children in the family. The author of the article on the site www.apa.org/helpcenter, suggests a few steps to take in order to keep the romantic partnership in good working order, and I think this is also true for a happy marriage too. According to the site, communication is a key piece of healthy relationships. Another recommendation is to keep the marriage relationship interesting, planning interesting activities together, away from the daily routine. When you can no longer overcome the obstacles that arise in marriage, it is recommended to call for outside
I learned that isolation is such a bigger problem amongst people in our day and time. Isolation is very serious and could possibly lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, withdrawal, and social anxiety. With the authors giving this message, I could possibly save someone who I know that could possibly be going through withdrawal or social
Why can Isolation be deadly? Many people who are isolated or have isolated themselves suffer a higher risk of mental health issues such as anxiety, loneliness, paranoia and depression, which can lead to more serious feelings about yourself like committing suicide. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, it was found people with fewer human contacts had a 26% greater likeliness to die, regardless of age and sex. Social Isolation is the absence of social relationships and can in fact be deadly. The amount of social relationships humans need to be happy varies from person to person, but it is vital that everyone has meaningful relationships and social interactions on a regular basis. A study performed by Holt-Lunstad
Several studies also asserted that loneliness is correlated with aging itself (Tijhuis et al, 1999; Victor et al, 2000) and that there was a gradual increase in loneliness up to the age of 90 (Holmen, 1992). This increasing trend can be attributed to interactions with other factors due to additive nature of risk factors for loneliness and social isolation (Victor et al, 2000).
Davis, D.M., & Hayea J.A. (2011). What are the benefits of mindfulness? A practice review of psychotherapy-related research. Psychotherapy, 48, pp. 198-208.
For thousands of years people have practiced mediation for spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. Albeit there are many mediation types, in this paper I will be discussing and focusing on mindfulness mediation. Before further exploring mindfulness mediation, it is crucial to define mediation as a whole. Tang, Holzel, & Posner, 2016 state “Meditation can be defined as a form of mental training that aims to improve an individual’s core psychological capacities, such as attentional and emotional capacities” (p.213). Having that in mind, we can dive into mindfulness mediation. Mindfulness meditation is defined as “nonjudgmental attention to present-moment experiences (Tang, Holzel, & Posner, 2016).” A useful analogy to consider is going to the gym, going to the gym allows one to enhance the body, well similarly, practicing mindfulness is akin to taking the mind to the psychic gym, it enhances it. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on your breathing and then bringing your mind’s attention to the present all while dismissing discursive thoughts and maintaining a special focus on breathing.
Dhruv Khullar’s article “How Social Isolation is Killing Us,” published by the New York Times, addresses the public about the dangers of the growing epidemic. Utilizing various sources, studies, and even his own stories, Dr. Khullar discusses the health effects and mental effects on a person who is considered socially isolated. He improves the article by discussing how treating social isolation is hard and gives examples of programs that help those who feel alone. The article “How Social Isolation is Killing Us” is a thorough and well-constructed argument that clearly explains dangers of social isolation through the author’s use of logos, pathos, and ethos.
The first major effect of not limiting the time one spends with one’s pre- marriage significant other is the fact that relationships the individual currently holds can very easily break down. As with anything, all relationships require work and maintenance. It is interesting to note that this is true in the scientific realm as well; the Second Law of Thermodynamics is defined as, “In terms of entropy, the second law states that the total entropy of a closed system cannot decrease” (The Penguin Dictionary of Science, 2009). It is fascinating how much of life comes together like puzzle pieces; if something is true in one part of reality, it often is in another as well. So, considering the Second Law, think of a person has twelve hours in the day, and five of those hours are free each day. The person spends every singl...
Loneliness does not occur in detachment: “We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers” (914). The word ‘lonely’ is not used to depict physical absence, but an absence from thoughts. Loneliness is when we loose our sense of self and conform to the
Practicing mindfulness is something that most people probably have on their daily to-do list, but never getting around to it because they either don’t believe it’ll work or feel too busy with their lives to stop for literally just a minute to breathe. When going into this activity, my to-do is exactly what was in mind. It’s the list that is never completed. So, having this as an actual assignment was exactly what I needed to get a jumpstart on my mindfulness techniques in my daily life.
10-Minute Mindfulness appeals to me because I am at a time in my life where peace and simplicity are my priority. The stresses of everyday living cause emotional, physical and mental harm. A lifestyle change is needed to prevent further harm; mindfulness is a lifestyle change that requires dedication, practice and openness. Learning to live in the present moment, not the past or future, is key to reducing stress and becoming aware of the triggers that bring discord. This book provides support, guidance and encouragement in learning to be mindful.