Mindfulness is a hot topic these days. Many people are talking about the benefits of mindfulness and how it has helped them in their lives. If mindfulness works for you, we encourage you to spread the word! Teach your friends and family about mindfulness, post about it on social media, and attend workshops to help others learn more about this powerful practice. Then, when you’re ready, start your own workshops!
Resources like books, websites, and apps can be great tools for learning more about mindfulness and how to get started. We recommend checking out the following resources:
Mindfulness for Dummies by Shamash Alidina
Headspace app
Smiling Mind app
Stop, Breathe, & Think app
Calm.com website
Grateful.org website
If you’re interested in attending a mindfulness workshop, we suggest looking for one in your area. Here are some popular workshops that offer online instruction in mindfulness:
Mindful Self-Compassion with Kristin Neff
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with Jon Kabat-Zinn
Searching for workshops near you is easy using an online search engine like Google. Simply type in “mindfulness workshop + your location” to find options near you.
When you’re ready to start your own mindfulness workshop, there are a few things you’ll need to do in order to make it a success. First, you’ll need to find a space to hold the workshop. This can be anywhere from a conference room at work to a rented classroom at a local community center. Often your local library will have space to do this. Once you have a space secured, you’ll need to promote your workshop. Flyers are a good way to catch people’s eye so post them at coffee shops, supermarkets, etc. However, these days, social media platforms like NextDoor, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram tend to reap more dividends!
Finally, you’ll need to create an agenda for your workshop. This will help ensure that your workshop runs smoothly and that everyone who attends leaves feeling like they’ve learned something valuable. A typical agenda for a mindfulness workshop might look something like this:
- Introduction to mindfulness (what it is, why it’s important, how it can benefit your life)
- Guided meditation (create your own or use one of the hundreds available)
- Group discussion (this is some time for everyone to process any feelings/emotions that may have come up during the mindfulness session
- Mindful movement/yoga (incorporating simple yoga movements helps allow the body to focus on mindfulness much easier)
- Closing thoughts/reflection (take this time to perhaps play – or sing – a mantra of gratitude or play a song that invites gratitude and reflection on what was learned during the class)
You should also provide handouts after class giving an overall summary of the class and where to find meditations, music, etc. in their own homes online in. Meditation is all about practice, practice, practice!
If you have been helped by mindfulness, we encourage you to share your story with others. Your experience can help inspire others to give mindfulness a try. Thank you for helping to spread the word about this important practice!
