Mindfulness refers to a person’s ability to notice and become aware of their own thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors, as well as what is happening around them, by paying attention.
As many of you read this text, I can almost hear you saying, “I am already aware of myself and my surroundings.” However, if I were to say that this is not actually the case—that due to our faulty thinking patterns, while becoming aware of ourselves and our environment, we interpret things not as they are but according to our own perspectives; that we make judgments based on these interpretations; and that as a result we often feel anxious and unhappy—would your opinion change?
Now, I feel as though some of you are saying, “Actually, yes.” In fact, mindfulness is a system that operates together with attention. While many of us claim, as mentioned above, that we are aware of everything, we also complain about distractibility and difficulties with concentration. In this case, it must be acknowledged that many of us do not truly experience mindfulness, which is the key to living in the present moment.
Thus, the way to remain in the present moment and to free oneself from thoughts about the past and the future can be achieved through psychotherapy techniques aimed at increasing mindfulness. Following the psychotherapy process, efforts are made to support the individual in being able to live in the present moment.