Mindfulness as a path to youth empowerment and wellbeing
But first of all, what on earth is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is not about avoiding problems and obstacles. Instead, it’s a daily practice that can help strengthen and develop our day-to-day resilience, in the same way as we tone our muscles at the gym. If properly used, it helps us become more attentive and reconnect with our body, spirit and mind to welcome the present moment just as it is.
Mindfulness: Start here, Start now
We all have our own way of practising mindfulness and it doesn’t necessarily have to be the same. Meditation, some kind of exercise, even savouring a meal slowly, or just paying attention to another’s words during a conversation – it’s all part of being “present” and “aware”, just expressed in different ways.
Starting our own mindfulness ritual can be beneficial for anyone and at any age. The sooner we get to regularly practise it, the more resilient we become, especially when facing stressful and challenging situations. It paves way for better concentration, attention span, and lower stress levels. It can also help with your academic and work performance, but most importantly – it teaches to treat yourself and others with better care, kindness and compassion.
BENEFIT with Mindfulness
Not sure where to start? Ride along with CARDET and IoD’s BENEFIT project, which kicked off its work in Prague this June, focused on empowering youth workers and young individuals to build their mindfulness practice. The project brings together organisations from five European countries – Cyprus, Germany, Ireland, Czech Republic and Portugal – who join forces to develop a full set of innovative and applicable tools to educate and guide youth through their mindfulness journey.
You will thus be provided with an interactive and engaging platform that will give them access to resources and training material to help you identify and overcome mental strains, as well as offer mental-health informed support.
Ready to BENEFIT from mindfulness? Find out more about the BENEFIT project and how to engage here.
