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In The Mindful People Series, we interview people from different walks of life and get them to share their mindfulness experience, as well as how learning and practicing mindfulness have made a difference to their personal and professional lives   MiMo: How did you get into learning and practicing mindfulness?
Sherry: I was given heavy responsibilities at work and dealt with stakeholders who demanded a lot of time and energy. I would start each work day feeling unrested and drained, and over time I had to summon a lot of self-control and use a great sense of responsibility to complete whatever I needed to do. Other challenges in life depleted my energy further and I needed to find a better and more constructive way to manage my stress and mental fatigue. After months of social isolation, I met up with a friend who benefited from Erin’s MBSR program so I started reading up about mindfulness and discovered that it was exactly the skills I needed to handle life’s challenges! MiMo: Tell us about your experience in the MBSR program. Sherry: Erin gave us weekly practices with guided meditation audio recordings to keep up with daily meditation. These weekly practices helped me to reflect on how I had been dealing with life and how I can apply mindfulness for better quality of life. When things were busy at work, it was tempting to skip practices but the MBSR program will be effective only if one makes the best out of these 8 weeks and follows the weekly practices closely. The Circle of Awareness to break the habit loops and Erin’s theoretical explanations about MBSR were most helpful to me as it clearly articulates the neuroscience behind why the MBSR program will work. The 1-day silent retreat was my favourite part of the program as it was only at the retreat that I felt like “I finally got it!” – I was better able to embrace the skills taught in the first 5 weeks and understood how meditation can be practised on-the-go, every day, every moment! MiMo: How has mindfulness contributed to your personal well-being? Sherry: Mindfulness has helped me to look inward and gain fresh perspectives about life’s challenges. It has helped me to reduce mental noise and break habits of cyclical thinking to be more present with life’s moments. I realized that the anxiety and worries in everyday life could be halted simply by being more aware of the present and to let things “be”, instead of doubting and judging whether things should be another way (in the past) or could be a certain way (in the future). I am able to build my natural resilience by acknowledging the present difficult situation with the help of mindful breathing and then calmly deciding my next course of action without unnecessarily depleting my mental (or physical) energy. I am also better able to appreciate the present for what it “is”. MiMo: How has mindfulness supported you in your professional work? Sherry: I am better able to manage my anxiety and be more open-minded to alternative approaches to issues at work. I can appreciate each moment better instead of constantly worrying about the next task. Whenever I encounter challenging situations or people at work, I am better able to re-centre my mind so as not to emotionally engage with the situation or person. I have also learnt to be less judgmental of my negative emotions and thoughts and acknowledge them instead of berating myself for having them. MiMo: How have you incorporated mindfulness into your daily life? Sherry: I do simple meditation practices daily to take a pause from the hectic work schedule and improve my foundation in mindful living. Instead of habitual cyclical thinking, mindfulness brings me back to the present moment and reduces my anxiety. It helps me to be appreciative of life and embrace its moments, to be kinder to myself so that I can extend compassion to others. Whenever I encounter a stressful situation, I am able to break the stress reactivity cycle through mindful breathing so that I can respond more constructively. MiMo: Any words of advice for people who are thinking about learning mindfulness? Sherry: Mindfulness reminds us to “be” as we are and helps us learn to accept life and its challenges as they come. We are caught up in “doing” things, searching for solutions by constantly analysing problems. Our minds are overworked and we feel unrested and continue this cycle either until we bounce back by seeking a change (which might or might not be helpful), or until we want to end our suffering. By practising mindfulness, we do not forget or escape from our challenges, and still need to face them and overcome them eventually, but we can handle stressful situations more constructively and not destroy ourselves in the process. By observing stressful feelings moment by moment and noticing things as they are, we can allow our minds to rest, then return to it when we are less emotional and more rational to handle it. ------ About Sherry Lim Sherry grew up in Singapore and has worked in the education industry for more than five years. Through her work, she seeks to understand how people learn, and why people are the way they are. She enjoys reading books and articles, particularly in the areas of neuroscience and psychology, to complement her work. She is an avid seeker of meaningful experiences and loves to learn new things across varied topics. She believes in balanced living and is self-motivated in doing at-home workouts, eating a variety of foods, and practising mindfulness in protecting one’s physical, emotional and mental health. Are you a mindfulness practitioner or do you know one who would like to share their mindfulness experience on the MiMo blog? Do drop us a message!
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Click on the image below to read the full article.  In The Mindful People Series, we interview people from different walks of life and get them to share their mindfulness experience, as well as how learning and practicing mindfulness have made a difference to their personal and professional lives  MiMo: How did you get into learning and practicing mindfulness? David: I am a curious and adventurous person who is always eager to learn new things. As a trainer and organization consultant, I am always looking for new ways and techniques to constantly remind myself to have a clear mind and engage events with different perspectives. As a practitioner of NLP (Psychological) and Whole Brain Thinking Metaphor (Social), I want to enhance in the area of Physiology. Therefore, searching the Internet, I chanced upon the practice of Mindfulness. MiMo: Tell us about your experience in the MBSR program. David: It has been an eye opener and great experience. My course mates were great. Initially, it was a tough challenge to attend all the weekend classes. After the first three lessons and daily practices, I realized that I was experiencing different physical experiences. Erin was great. She was always very patient and helped us overcome detractors during the practices. The frequent weekly group sharing was very motivating and encouraging. I could see that towards the end of the course, most of my course mates were very different in their physical appearances and were engaging people with very positive body gestures. MiMo: How has mindfulness contributed to your personal well-being? David: I am beginning to enjoy my surroundings better, becoming more patient with events happening daily, and more importantly, appreciating things from a different perspective. I am also able to recognize the physical sensations I feel when I am about to burst, and I am able to manage myself well before I exploded. MiMo: How has mindfulness supported you in your professional work? David: It has helped me to maintain a clear mind where at times my work can be very overwhelming ("Mind Full"). I am also able to integrate Mindfulness into my training agenda and help my clients/students cope better with the mental, social and physical aspects of their lives. MiMo: How have you incorporated mindfulness into your daily life? David: I have been making it a point to continue the daily practices whenever possible amidst my daily activities. MiMo: Any words of advice for people who are thinking about learning mindfulness? David: It is a great practice that I would say all humans should learn and practice. It has very diverse benefits and suits people from all walks of life. ------  About David Ong David has more than 25 years of Managing, Developing and Training Human Capital both local and regional countries which includes, Japan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and various provinces of China. His vast training experiences and travels make him a close Business Consultant with numerous corporations, partnering them in their Organization Development in areas related to Values and Culture, Training Needs Analysis, Training Evaluation and Leadership Competency Model. His niche areas are delivering Leadership Competency Related Programs; ie, Project Management, Change Management, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Creativity, Innovation, Negotiations, Diversity Management, Team Enhancement, Communications, People Skills and Human Behavioral Science(Psychology/Sociology). His passion in Human Behavioral Science has seen him further studied in the fields of Education-Adult Learning and Psychology-Behaviors. Are you a mindfulness practitioner or do you know one who would like to share their mindfulness experience on the MiMo blog? Do drop us a message!
In The Mindful People Series, we interview people from different walks of life and get them to share their mindfulness experience, as well as how learning and practicing mindfulness have made a difference to their personal and professional lives.  MiMo: How did you get into learning and practicing mindfulness? Kim: I have been exposed to the word "mindfulness" from social media articles and friends. I was curious what it really was because I read that mindfulness can help me cope better. At the time, I was facing anxiety issues and it surely does not feel good. From a friend's facebook, I chanced upon Erin's postings on mindfulness and the MBSR program. I went for the MBSR preview session and began my journey of mindfulness. MiMo: Tell us about your experience in the MBSR program. Kim: Having gone through the MBSR program, I felt it was an enriching, life changing and an enjoyable experience. I enjoy and really appreciate that most of the time we were hands-on practising the mindfulness techniques and exercises. Ultimately, these are the practical portions I have to be mindful to practise in reality after the MBSR program ended. We also get to share our experiences after the practice in an assuring and non-judgmental environment. Through the facilitation by Erin, I got to learn how everyone experiences mindfulness differently in their own way. We had a Silent Mindfulness Retreat and it was an amazing experience that we got to practise all of the mindfulness exercises in a calming and relaxing environment, with no distractions from our mobile gadgets. I really enjoyed it. I found it very therapeutic, fulfilling and satisfying. I deeply appreciate that Erin is a welcoming and friendly coach who makes the environment safe and conducive for great learning. MiMo: How has mindfulness contributed to your personal well-being? Kim: Mindfulness has helped me to cope better with my anxiety and esteem issues. By knowing the fact that mindfulness itself can help alleviate stressful states of mind, is already a huge help in the form of hope for me. In times of stressful situations, by taking a pause and being mindful, it brought myself back to the moment and reminded myself to not get involved with the negativity that was going on in my mind. MiMo: How has mindfulness supported you in your professional work? Kim: Being a Herbalife Wellness Coach, I interact with students and clients from different walks of life who carries different expectations in their health and weight management journey. Mindfulness has allowed me to learn that everyone is so unique and different in the way they think, feel and behave. It helped me to focus better to empathise and understand the needs of my clients better without judgments, by being in the moment. Also, I was able to share about mindfulness and mentor my fellow wellness coaches how mindfulness can benefit in helping them focus and keeping them on track to their commitments and responsibilities. MiMo: How have you incorporated mindfulness into your daily life? Kim: To quote an example, when I take the public transportation and feeling anxious, worrying whether I will be on time for my appointment. By "Taking a pause" through a deep breathing and feeling the physical sensation of my feet touching the ground, I was able to bring myself back to that awareness and assurance to be kind to myself to appreciate that moment, alleviating the stress. Time to time, I reminded myself to simply observe and watch my own negative emotions (in the form of vehicles and clouds), and not getting involved with them. MiMo: Any words of advice for people who are thinking about learning mindfulness? Kim: I strongly encourage anyone who is thinking about learning mindfulness to just go for it. To achieve something that we have never achieved before, we need to do something we have never done before. For things to change, we have to change. For things to get better, we have to be better. If not for taking the step to learn mindfulness, I would not have learnt the skills that can help me lower my anxiety issues and cope better with life.
--- About Sim Kang Kim Kim is a passionate Dance Fitness Instructor & Herbalife Wellness Coach. She holds a NUS Bachelor Honours Degree of Arts and Social Sciences (Second Class Honours, Upper Division), majoring in Social Work. She has a latin ballroom dance background and attained the Title of the Champion for Macpherson's Got Talent in 2016. Being a wellness entrepreneur, Kang Kim not only specialises in Nutrition & Weight Management Personalised Coaching locally and internationally, she also mentors anyone who would an extra income or who are seeking for a business opportunity. She is AFAA-accreditated and attained certifications in AFAA Group Resistance Training, Sunrise Yoga, Standard First Aid, CPR and AED, Zumba® Fitness Basic 1 and 2, Zumba® Gold, Zumba® Toning, AquaZumba®, Zumba® Sentao, Zumba® Kids, Zumba® Junior, Zumba® Pro Skills, KpopX Fitness, Hot Hula Fitness, Super Body Super Brain, TRX Group Suspension. Are you a mindfulness practitioner or do you know one who would like to share their mindfulness experience on the MiMo blog? Do drop us a message!
Mindfulness Coach and MBSR Teacher Erin Lee gives an introduction to MBSR, highlighting six things you should know about the classic research-proven mindfulness training program. MBSR stands for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. This is an 8-Week mindfulness training program, that was developed in 1979 by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Over the decades the program has helped many people significantly improve their well-being.
Here are some things you need to know about the MBSR Program: #1 - It is backed by many strong research studies showing positive benefits to our well-being, including reducing chronic pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms; research has also shown that the program helps us increase our positive moods and regulate our stress levels more effectively. #2 - The classic MBSR program on which many of the research benefits are based, should follow a structure of 8 weekly classes, two and a half hours per class, plus one all day retreat. It should be taught by an approved facilitator who has been trained to teach MBSR, and it should also be taught in a group setting. #3 - This program is highly experiential, and it focuses less on theoretical or conceptual knowledge, and more on actually practicing and experiencing mindfulness. #4 - The practices we do in an MBSR program does not only include sitting down, there are also lying down and movement practices. There will be discussions among participants during class, but you are not required to share anything personal - because this is not therapy, you are only encouraged to inquire into your own experience of mindfulness practice. #5 - What's really unique and beneficial about the MBSR program is that you learn to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, which is very important, since mindfulness is a way of life, and it should be a lifelong practice. #6 - This is what I highlight to many people who are considering an MBSR program - a certain level of commitment is needed to maximize the effectiveness of your learning. If you take part in an MBSR program, you are required to commit to a home practice of about 45 minutes a day in between the weekly classes.  Mindful Moments is starting a monthly practice session open to all who are interested in practicing mindfulness in a group, whether or not you have any experience in mindfulness.
Each session will be led by Erin or a guest mindfulness practitioner / teacher, and will focus on different mindfulness practices or themes. Each practice session will last 30 - 45 minutes, after which you may wish to have a chat with Erin about mindfulness or mingle with one another. Date: Thursday 16 February 2017 Time: 7 PM - 8 PM Venue: 190 Clemenceau Ave, Singapore Shopping Centre #04-10, Meeting Room 4, S(239924) Fee: Free Entrance Other Details: Chairs will be provided. You may also wish to sit on the floor (carpeted). Simply email Erin at [email protected] to indicate the date you're joining! How could mindfulness help us respond better to the stress in our lives? The 8-Week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program is a research-proven, evidence-based mindfulness training program that helps us develop more awareness of our mind and body, gain insight into the sources of our stress and unhappiness, as well as build emotional resilience and self-compassion to improve our overall well-being. If this sounds like what you would like to work on in 2017, do sign up for our upcoming Apri 2017 MBSR Program, taught by Mindfulness Coach and Qualified MBSR Teacher Erin Lee.   So we are nearing the end of 2016, and about to welcome a brand new year ahead. Have you set your New Year Resolutions yet?
As an advocate of mindfulness as a way of life, I invite you to incorporate mindfulness as a part of your New Year Resolutions. You might want to commit to doing one thing mindfully per day, or establish a more routine mindfulness practice. You might even want to get yourself formally trained in mindfulness, if you have been toying with the idea for some time. Perhaps you already have a New Year Resolution in mind, and you could be more mindful about achieving or sticking with it. Here are some simple suggestions on how you can have a more mindful year ahead: Doing one thing mindfully everyday: this could be any activity within your daily routine, such as brushing your teeth, locking your apartment door (we know how absent-minded we can be about this!), drinking your first glass of water or first cup of coffee in the morning, waiting for the bus, a household chore like washing the dishes - the possibilities are endless! When mindfully doing that one thing you've chosen, you are essentially paying attention to what you're doing as you're doing it; multi-tasking is a big no-no in mindfulness practice, so don't for example drink your coffee and read the news at the same time. As you pay attention, notice the details using your five senses - see the colors and shapes with your eyes, hear the sounds with your ears, smell the scents with your nose, taste with your tongue, and feel textures and sensations with your hands and skin. When we open up our senses to what we're doing, we stay focused and the mind settles more easily into the present moment by moment. Establishing a more routine practice: Those of us who have had training or experience in mindfulness would probably know that one of the most challenging aspects of mindfulness is keeping up with our practice. Whether it's because of our busy lives or a lack of commitment or some other circumstances, we have probably tried really hard to practice regularly, but there is just no denying that the real research-proven benefits of mindfulness come from a sustained, routine daily practice. When it comes to establishing a routine mindfulness practice, I encourage you to 'start small' and slowly build up your practice. This could mean a simple awareness of breath for just 5 minutes every morning when you wake up or every night before you sleep. When you have gotten used to this 5-minute routine, extend it to 10 minutes a day, then 15 minutes, 20 minutes... If you're commiting to longer mindfulness practices (such as 30 or 40 minute durations), you might want to break it up into several parts practiced over different times of the day. For example, split a 30 minute practice into 10 minutes when you wake up, 10 minutes during lunch time at work, and 10 minutes in the evening or before bedtime. If you have been exposed to or trained in a variety of mindfulness practices (awareness of breath, body scan, movements, choiceless awareness etc.), you might want to start with a practice that you feel most comfortable with and can ease into more effortlessly. If you've established a routine of one particular practice, you might want to switch to another one that is more challenging to you. Look for an App that helps you stick to your routine mindfulness practice - I highly recommend Insight Timer, a meditation App that not only allows you to track your practice hours (and achieve miletones!), you also get to connect with fellow mindfulness practitioners from around the world. Best of all, it's free! Getting formally trained in mindfulness: Many people have probably thought about attending a mindfulness class, but have yet to act on it. If you've been thinking about getting mindfulness training, pick a class or program that allows you enough time to learn the skills and that scaffolds you through the learning process in a more structured way. We recommend the classic 8-Week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program, which is research-proven and usually taught by an approved facilitator in a group setting. There are important benefits to learning mindfulness in a group setting and over an extended period of time. Being mindful about your New Year Resolutions: Maybe you already have a New Year resolution in mind for 2017 - such as learning a new language or mastering the guitar, and you're wondering if you might actually stick with it or achieve it successfully this time. The practice of mindfulness teaches us to focus our attention and minimize judgments or criticisms towards ourselves. With mindfulness, you can actually cultivate more patience in the process of learning the guitar, and offer yourself the compassion you need when things don't turn out as you had expected. --- Can you think about how else you might be able to have a more mindful 2017? Share it with Mindful Moments! In The Mindful People Series, we interview people from different walks of life and get them to share their mindfulness experience, as well as how learning and practicing mindfulness have made a difference to their personal and professional lives.   MiMo: How did you get into learning and practicing mindfulness? CK: I found a book five years ago which focused on being in the present moment by Thich Nhat Hanh. Shortly after that I saw a book called ‘Mindfulness’ at the local WHSmiths whilst I was waiting for a train back in England. Both of these books made a real difference to the way I thought about life. They helped me feel better about the situations and experiences I was encountering at that time. Since then I have been learning and practicing mindfulness, with the pinnacle moment of my involvement in mindfulness occurring around two years ago when I fell sick with a long and tough illness. That period of my life is when my reading, understanding and practicing of mindfulness really took off. I have been practicing since then, but I wanted to make it a more habitual, automatic behaviour, as I sometimes struggled to create consistency and motivation about my practice. Now, thanks to the MBSR programme, my practice has become more automated, and even when I take a few days off and do not practice, it is easy for me to recommence. MiMo: Tell us about your experience in the MBSR program. CK: I learned a lot about my body. My awareness of the frequency and intensity of thoughts and emotions increased. My awareness of my body through breathing and stretching exercises also increased. I gained structure and discipline around my practices, in a gentle way. There was a sense of camaraderie and friendship amongst my group, which was a very enjoyable and motivating factor for me. It was enjoyable and I came away from each weekly session feeling happier, lighter, and more energised. The all day retreat was lovely, it was nice to be in nature with my new friends. I enjoy the recordings we can do in our own space, at home. I feel the home practice has been integral to this course. Erin is fantastic. Her voice is like honey. She has the patience of a saint, and she is so authentic, genuine and focused. I am creating the habit of doing mindfulness exercises again, and enjoying it. The MBSR programme helped my practice become more automated, relaxing, and habitual for me. This is the reason I chose to attend the 8-week mindfulness course. MiMo: How has mindfulness contributed to your personal well-being? CK: I find it more normal to practice, and I feel less resistance. I almost look forward to it now, whereas before I sometimes dreaded it. I am more calm and collected in dialogues with others, and am able to respond slower and more mindfully in situations which may have previously ignited strong emotion and non-mindful behaviour in the past. That has been a great benefit which I did not notice until I started being in the same situations as I had previously been in (prior to the MBSR) where things had not gone so well, and I noticed that I have been responding in a way I much prefer. I am proud of that change, and I attribute it to the MBSR programme. I have reignited my enjoyment of mindfulness, breathing, and observing. I am more mindful generally of my experiences. I also learned not to chide myself for having racing thoughts or strong emotions, I learned it is okay to accept these and to simply observe them without feeling the need to resist them. This is something I am still improving on, but now I feel that I really understand this notion, I feel I have a good foothold to continue learning to accept my thoughts and emotions without being negative about it. MiMo: How has mindfulness supported you in your studies? CK: I have been calmer and more productive in writing essays for my university course. It has helped reduce stress and stop me from putting so much pressure on myself. It has taught me to take breaks and take care of myself first and foremost over achieving things. MiMo: How have you incorporated mindfulness into your daily life? CK: I have been practicing regularly, and every time it makes me feel better going on into my day. I do 20-40 minutes in the morning, and as a treat sometimes I do some in the afternoon. I don’t do it every day, although this is something I am changing. I intend to do it every day going forward. It was a gradual journey but now it seems normal to do 40 minutes a day (if you had said this to me before the MBSR programme I would have baulked as I was impressed when I managed five minutes). It’s very cool that I see longer practices as good and normal. In addition I am more mindful of activities I do day-to-day, from walking, to sitting on the MRT, to cooking, to doing housework. I am able to spot when my mind is running away, and can usually bring myself back to a certain level of peace through practicing mindfulness in these moments. MiMo: Any words of advice for people who are thinking about learning mindfulness? CK: I would say, go for it. Don’t be afraid. It’s a gentle journey where, ultimately, you learn things without realising you have. Your brain will sneakily pick up the necessary skills you want, even if you think you are not getting anywhere consciously. You will subconsciously learn a lot, and it is these new behaviours that will pleasantly surprise you when you go about your day-to-day activities. You will also meet new and different kinds of people, who you realise are very similar to you in many ways. You will feel supported and encouraged, which are the two things I did not feel prior to enrolling in this course. --- About Caroline King Caroline is of Eurasian heritage and grew up in the UK. Her formative years were spent in Bristol, and she later studied modern European languages at Edinburgh University. As a language student she lived in Berlin, Milan and, later, Buenos Aires. She has a deep passion for travel, meeting people from different countries, and learning new languages. Having completed law school in London, she worked as a finance lawyer for 4 years both in London and in Singapore. She was living a full life and after a period of long hours and stress, she fell ill and was later diagnosed with M.E.. She has been on a fascinating journey of the self since that moment, and is looking forward to feeling her best again and reaching her full potential. She is currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences and Psychology as she has a keen interest in the brain, the mind-body connection, and people’s behaviours. She is also looking forward to developing her interests in public international law and human rights law. Are you a mindfulness practitioner or do you know one who would like to share their mindfulness experience on the MiMo blog? Do drop us a message!
 "I can't think of anyone who will not benefit from learning more about and practicing mindfulness. It is so all-inclusive that whatever your background and life situation, mindfulness opens the door for us to become more compassionate towards ourselves and others, and develop an attitude of gratitude for what we have." "Mindfulness really does help us to appreciate the moments in life better and enrich our daily lives." "Mindfulness makes you into a more well-rounded person. It helps you see the world in a clear light; it lets you hear yourself better without all the negative chatter in your mind."  "A practical tool to better manage your stress level." "I'm a calmer person and I find simple joy in everyday life." "Let go of the past, stop worrying about the future, and just be with the present." "Mindfulness really helps if you commit yourself and dedicate the time to do it sincerely! Erin is a great mindfulness teacher and I really appreciate how she is so helpful, responsible, and non-judgmental." "Every session was fun and can pick up an insight about everything ranging from self to nature to people." |
About The AuthorMiMo founder Erin Lee is a Mindfulness Coach and MBSR Teacher at Mindful Moments, and advocate of mindfulness as the way of life. She conducts the classic 8-Week MBSR Program, as well as the 8-Week MBSR Workplace Program. 
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ContributeAre you a mindfulness practitioner and have meaningful experiences or thoughts about mindfulness that you'd like to share? You can contribute an article on the MiMo blog! Please contact Erin to find out more.
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