Mindfulness can propel you forward

Heartbreak and disappointment are never easy hurdles to overcome.

When I was a freshman in college, we had a vehicle called, “The Crushing Tape,” that we listened to on Saturday nights with all of our friends, men and women; every race, religion or creed — during afterhours. We all gathered in the same room and cried ourselves to sleep while listening to this tape because we had lost our high school sweethearts in the transition to college.  

The Crushing Tape (Yes, it was a cassette “tape!”) included songs like, Keep on Loving You (REO Speedwagon), All out of Love (Air Supply), and other sappy sob starters that appealed to 18-year-olds in that era. It didn’t solve much heartache.

The key learning from this:  This approach makes you feel worse. 

Life lesson:  Don’t look backward, it’s not where you are going.  

The good news was that by sophomore year, we had all rebounded and moved on to new and more mature relationships. But how did we get there?

Through my life experience, I have had success in using mindfulness techniques that help propel you through difficult situations.

For example, instead of dwelling on sad feelings, consider listening to songs with lyrics that lift you up and make you stronger. Some that always work for me include, I’m Still Standing (Elton John) and Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen). 

Ideas to help you move along in a healthier manner:

• Breathe. Practice breathing exercises to help reduce anxiety and improve your sleep at night.
• Meditate. A practice that has helped people for thousands of years.
• Exercise. Strength training, swimming, biking or even just walking.
• Think.  About things that bring you joy in life like family, religion, sports, pets,  etc.
• Adopt a pet. Pets provide companionship, an opportunity to exercise, and other forms of support.

Employing these and other mindfulness techniques can help you heal faster and move forward to your next positive life experiences. I urge you to give them a try!

Share your healing techniques in the comments!