This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Toronto chapter.

Imagine yourself standing in the middle of a crowd, with everyone shouting at you, some of them poking and prodding you, trying to get your attention. You can’t focus on what any one person is saying, the voices too loud, muddling each other, distracting you. “Look at me!” “No, me!” “Over here!” they say. These voices, these people, they all live inside my mind. This is my anxiety.

I have been dealing with anxiety since I was 15 years old. I have tried many different things to reduce its hold on my life: medication, exercise, both of which did reduce it, but not completely. Although my anxiety is not nearly as severe as it once was, it still impacts my life. On top of the normal stressors of life, these extra worries and fears that vie for my mental attention can sometimes be too much to deal with. It wasn’t until last year, however, that I found a technique that did help to provide some mental calm.

The posters everywhere around campus seemed to be mocking me, telling me to “Be more mindful,” as if it were that easy, as if I could simply switch off this constant stream of thoughts. But feeling inspired by my new year’s resolution of trying new things, I decided to go to a drop in mindfulness meditation class. And at first, I hated it.

Sitting in a quiet room, with nothing to distract my attention away from my constant mental chatter, I was forced to listen to my own mind, to truly hear my thoughts. I was disturbed by how negative they were, how all I could think about was the future: the next paper due, the midterm in two weeks, the job I needed to get, the countless readings I hadn’t started, not to mention all the insecurities that kept popping up. “Wow, I can’t even meditate right.” But I knew there had to be something to why it was so popular, why so many people claimed that this practice could truly change their lives. So I kept going, and am glad that I did.

After talking to the instructor and other people, I realized that I wasn’t doing anything wrong at all. I was simply becoming aware of the nature of my mind, that can go from thinking about what I want for dinner to my fears about never getting a good job to remembering an experience from third grade to an assignment due next week and back again. My thoughts were random, going everywhere, to places that made absolutely no sense at all. What really helped to ground me, to bring me back to the present moment, was the instructor’s emphasis on the role of breathing. Truly focusing on all the sensations associated with the process of breathing in and out helped to bring my mind away from all the random distractions, back to that moment.

Mindfulness meditation is not a one-time remedy; it is a practice that needs to be given proper and effortful attention. After going to the drop in classes every week consistently last year, I found that my attention increased. I was able to sustain my attention longer during lectures, and to truly focus on what it was I was doing in the present moment, whether it be eating, writing a paper, or watching Netflix. I think the benefits of this practice have the potential to help many people, regardless of whether anxiety is a present factor in your life or not. Here are a few situations in which you can incorporate this practice into your life.

1. Eating

This is a subject I bet many people are truly passionate about. If I’m not thinking about my next meal, you know something is seriously wrong. But in all seriousness, mindful eating is a practice that is important not only for mental health, but also for your physical health. Being mindful of your body’s cues to whether or not you are actually hungry is important, especially if you struggle with over-eating. Mindful eating includes paying attention to things such as what you are eating, why you are eating, how much and when you are eating. Stopping to take a break from the stressors of daily life, and allowing yourself to have a moment to just focus on your eating will also help you to energize yourself.

2. Commuting

Does a 20-minute streetcar ride count as a commute? Either way, having observed my mind on this short ride to school, I have become aware of how my thought processes contribute to my day. If you are anything like me, this period of time may be used to mull over all the unfinished things you still have left to complete, along with dreading the school day ahead. Instead, try to focus on your breathing. Allow yourself to be in the present moment: listen to someone else’s conversation, focus on the other people around you. This will help to get yourself out of your head, and remind you that all these other people are dealing with their own issues, just like you.

3. Mundane mindfulness

Implementing mindfulness doesn’t mean having to carve out a chunk of your day to sit and listen to yourself think. That may not work for you, or you might not have that time. But there are definitely opportunities everyday to simply be aware of your actions. Some of these include brushing your teeth, washing dishes, or even walking. Focus on the sensations associated with these tasks, bringing your attention back to the activity if it begins to wander.

Mindfulness is a technique that can help to re-center yourself, to regain perspective on life when it gets to be too much. I found that these techniques have helped me with my anxiety, and I am sure they will help alleviate some of the everyday stress we face as university students. If you are interested in becoming more mindful, and have an extra hour in your schedule, check out the drop in meditation classes around U of T! Mindfulness techniques and practices can help to regain focus and clarity, especially during stressful times in your life. If you are struggling with anxiety and need support, the health and wellness centre has many resources to get you the help you need.

Photos courtesy of:

http://www.clare.cam.ac.uk/Mindfulness-at-Clare/

http://www.theeventchronicle.com/health/mindful-eating-101-beginners-guide/#

http://davidnichtern.com/tag/meditation/page/2/

http://www.chopra.com/articles/mindful-walking-practice-how-to-get-started

https://www.washington.edu/wholeu/2014/01/14/interview-why-try-mindfulness-training/