The Beginners Guide to Meditation

Aug 4

Mindfulness and Cognitive Distortions

The first step towards mindfulness is setting aside the time in your day to form this new habit. That could be through self-guided exercises like this one or through virtual therapy like we offer with online counselling services.

So, find a time that works for you, that may be in the morning or evening. Find a time that works for you and start with an easy three-minute breathing exercise. As, “When we pay attention to our breath, we are learning how to return to, and remain in, the present moment—to anchor ourselves in the here and now on purpose, without judgment.” (Staff et al., 2021).

So, as we begin set your timer for three minutes and use your breath as the anchor that you focus on. For those three minutes focus solely on your breathing, in for three seconds and out for three seconds. Now when thoughts come up and they will, just refocus yourself again as you breathe.

Try this introductory mindful meditation as it will help to guide you through the breathing exercise and may help you to focus on observing your thoughts.

As cognitive distortions can get in the way of being in the present moment, please review the image below from Positive Psychology that lists some common Cognitive Distortions.

See what stands out for you. Then share a little about what types of thoughts may have interrupted you, did any of these distortions get in the way of your mindfulness exercise?