“Can I have 5 Minutes of your Mind?”

New Email Series By Yenifer De Lara
I am a short girl with short hair. I go to noon classes for the most part. I’ve been a CFRR gym member since mid 2021. I enjoy talking about deep and philosophical ideas. Making art and exercising are two of my favorite ways to spend time.

[Backstory] When I heard about a friend passing away, I lived in fear that harm would come to the people I love. It truly got in the way of everything for several months. However, I learned how to minimize the effects of negative/intrusive thoughts. I learned how to gain greater control of the self-narration in my head. I learned how to create my own methods of de-escalating intense thoughts and feelings. Over time, I had to use less and less of these methods to reduce my mental anguish. It is now about 1 year since all of that happened. If it weren’t for that experience, I don’t think I would’ve learned any other way.

I’m now at a great place to be able to talk about it. I’m proud to be selective of the thoughts I have now. I believe everyone is responsible for curating their own “thoughts playlist.” The lessons I learned on my own are valuable and this is why the idea of mindfulness is so dear to me.

The reason I believe the information I learned is important is because I know and hear often that people carry lots of mental stressors. Stress, whether it’s all in your head, or about your financial situation, or you have a demanding profession, it is all real. ‘Acknowledgement’ of _ and ‘being aware’ of _ are the same. Mindfulness starts with acknowledging the thoughts that pop up in your head. The most effective mindfulness can be gained during unpleasant situations. I want you to remember that mindfulness is applicable everyday to every situation, and that it is a constant practice. Just like exercise, being mindful is a muscle.