This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see disclosure at bottom of home page
I have been practicing mindfulness and meditation for over a year and a half now. Ever since starting therapy, I have been on a mission to find out the inner works of my mind and develop skills to cope with mental health. I have seen changes that I didn’t think were possible. Most of these changes are extremely positive and I am eternally grateful for what my therapist has done as well as my blog reader, yes you, have done.
There are quite a few unlikely benefits from practicing mindfulness that I want to share. I found these to be extremely surprising and have changed my life for the better.

1) People are coming to me for mental health advice
This is huge for me. People are reaching out directly to me for help with their emotions and mental state. Some of these individuals don’t even know I have a mental health blog and post about this stuff all of the time. This is awesome because it means that I have gained enough trust for someone to completely open up to me. I make sure to help them the best that I can but if it’s something out of league, I refer them to a therapist. I am just so flattered that people trust me enough to come to me for help.

2) People are using what I teach them to help others.
I think this is something that everyone would be happy to see. The student becomes the teacher. Someone who I have helped in the past is using what I taught them to help their friends and those close to them. This is huge! I love seeing people take things that I have brought up and use them to spread joy and kindness. We need more of this for sure.

3) I see things a little brighter.
There’s a weird phenomenon that happens to me, maybe to others, where colors dull when I am sad or in a bad mental state. This was what happened after my first panic attack, five years ago. I spent quite a few months in a bad mental spot. Colors were so dull and my thoughts were really bad. Practicing meditation, back the, started to really cause the vibrancy of colors to come back. I was actually thinking about this last night. I can remember the exact moment when I knew I was getting better. It was the moment I looked at the sky and the blue color changed to a more vibrant blue. It was just for a minute, but I knew I was on the right course.

4) I sleep better
Anxiety is mean. It forces you awake with racing thoughts all of the time and getting quality sleep is almost non existent. I had a conversation with a friend of mind about how well they sleep after practicing mindfulness. They, too, have experience way better sleep patterns than before. Of course, you will have moments where anxiety will keep you up or wake you up, but they will become few and far between as you continue to practice.

5) I am kinder
One thing that I have noticed, and you will start noticing now that you’ve read it, is how I talk about people then I say the word “but”. I would describe someone and be like, “So and So is super nice, super funny, an awesome person, but…..” then I would go on to say their flaws. When practicing mindfulness as well as “kindfullness” (check out Ajahn Brahm’s talk on this here), you will notice that you only find the good in people. You will send your description of people with kind things instead of the “but …”. Try describing some one to one of your friends or family without saying “but” or just notice when other’s talk. They will always describe something bad about others. Now start practicing “kindfullness” and notice how you will start seeing the good in all of those around you.
These are a few of the things that I have noticed when practicing mindfulness. People around me have also noticed that I am a much kinder person. This is what I aim to be in life and we need more people that are kind. If you have had some interesting effects from practicing mindfulness, please share them with us. I’d love to read about them. Also, check out my mindfulness section (here) on my blog love-and-bean.com.
I especially like #5 ..thanks for sharing!
I like that one the most!
I think I’ve been slacking off a bit on the mindfulness, but you are right. I need to focus on 4 and 5 right now (sleep’s been… well… a challenge) and I have the tendency to go for the negative sides of people and situations because I am not happy myself, right now. Thanks for the reminder!
It is a bit of a chore at first but get’s way easier when you see the positive effects.
Thanks, I’m sure you’re right. I am now experiencing what happens when you slack off, so I am very much motivated to pick things back up again.
You are young and if you realize meditation is a daily habit
For me meditation/mindfulness has granted me the brief moments of relief from childhood abuse
Keep up your path
This is very brilliant
There are exercises to strengthen your mindfulness and use it in walking life
Try to
Enter tasks
If you prepare a meal
Slow down
Be the knife that slices the vegetables
You are creating the best meal with the current ingredients
It’s not a chore when you enter that task
Watch a seasoned meditator
His/her actions have purpose
There is no rush or wasted energy
They are present and totally involved in the moment
When I
Do laundry
I am
Making my grandkids look as good as possible
Each shirt is handled with care
Until I hang it and move to the next one
When I am upset I try to enter tasks
At a stop light, waiting online or other mundane times, step back, take five deep breaths and see where your head is at
Can you not use the word I
Today
Wow! So many benefits! I need to tend to my personal practice and care more!
Excellent! ♥️
Excellent post!
#5 on you list reminded me of what my maternal grandmother would say, “Everyone has some good; you just have to look harder in some than others because everything that God made is good.” I understand what you mean when one says…but…
Thank you for sharing.
Gwen.
Pingback: Something to Think About - MINDFULNESS IN GRAD SCHOOL