Add Mindfulness to your toolbox

Give Mindfulness Meditation a try when the waves of gambling cravings start to swell ... 

One of the ways to get through your gambling cravings when they arise is to distract yourself with another activity.  Try adding a Mindfulness meditation to your toolbox on a regular basis.  By taking a few minutes to refocus yourself when you’re feeling the urge to gamble, stressed, anxious or depressed, you can help yourself back to a place of peace and well-being.  

Here’s some more information about Mindfulness meditation from HelpGuide.org and how it can help you.

"Mindfulness has become extremely popular in recent years, garnering headlines and endorsements from celebrities, business leaders, and psychologists alike. So, what is mindfulness? Rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, mindfulness switches your focus to what’s happening right now, enabling you to be fully engaged in the present moment.

Meditations that cultivate mindfulness have long been used to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. Some of these practices bring you into the present by focusing your attention on a single repetitive action, such as your breathing or a few repeated words. Other forms of mindfulness meditation encourage you to follow and then release internal thoughts or sensations. Mindfulness can also be applied to activities such as walking, exercising, or eating.

Using mindfulness to stay focused on the present might seem straightforward, but it takes practice to reap all the benefits. When you first start practicing, you’ll likely find that your focus keeps wandering back to your worries or regrets. But don't get disheartened. Each time you draw your focus back to the present, you’re strengthening a new mental habit that can help you break free of fretting about the past or stressing about the future. Using an app or audio download can also help focus your attention, especially when you're starting out.

A basic mindfulness meditation:

• Find a quiet place where you won't be interrupted or distracted.
• Sit on a comfortable chair with your back straight.
• Close your eyes and find a point of focus, such as your breathing—the sensation of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth or your belly rising and falling—or a meaningful word that you repeat throughout the meditation.
• Don’t worry about distracting thoughts that go through your mind or about how well you’re doing. If thoughts intrude your relaxation session, don’t fight them, just gently turn your attention back to your point of focus, without judgment."

Give Mindfulness Meditation a try and see how it works for you .... 

Check out this 10 minute Mindfulness meditation from Calm for you to try.