“Mindfulness is giving me the tools to look at life through other people’s eyes.”
Many mindfulness practitioners note that their practice helps improve their relationships:
- “Mindfulness helps me take a step back, and breathe.”
- “I’m less impatient with my kids.”
- “I’m less irritable.”
- “There’s much less anger.”
- “My wife tells me I’m less of an asshole.”
In moments of stress and frustration, many of us react out of that emotional state instead of calmly and rationally choosing a response that is most congruent with our values. Regular mindfulness practice helps widen the space to make a choice as opposed to reacting out of impulse or conditioning. When we are more able to make intentional choices like that, our relationships tend to improve because we tend to act in kinder and more considerate ways with others.
One mindfulness practitioner put it very beautifully: “Mindfulness is giving me the tools to look at life through other people’s eyes.” Another practitioner shared: “Instead of reacting emotionally, mindfulness allows me to pause and let the emotions pass, and then do the rational, logical thing.”
Mindfulness practice is not necessarily fun, glamorous, or easy. But regular and dedicated practice changes us in important ways. Mindfulness training helps widen that cramped, narrow space that we find ourselves trapped in during moments of anger and irritability. Within that wider space, we have just a little bit more time to breathe, just a little bit more time to recognize the habitual thinking that may be arising, just a little it more time to let those thoughts go (if we’re willing), and actively choose a response in that moment. When we do that, we are choosing to be the person we want to be.
Mindfulness FAQ 