Mindfulness Meditation

Being a nurse requires a high amount of emotional intelligence. This is something I struggle with sometimes, especially when certain patients push my buttons. It would be easy to lose my cool and say something I'll regret later when called into my manager's office. But, being able to step back, take a deep breath, and remember that it's all about the patient is what saves me. Just remember to breathe In....Out....In....Out.....

There's a practice I learned about while getting my BSN called "mindfulness meditation". I took a therapeutic touch class and we all meditated for about 10 minutes at the beginning of class. The goal was to sit still, pay attention to your breath, and let thoughts come to mind. If a thought came to mind, you were to dismiss it and draw your attention back to your breath. Your mind may wander constantly--mine did--and then when you are ready open your eyes and pay attention to how you feel. How are you going to start your day? What is your attitude going to be like today? Are you going to send out positivity or negativity? If you want to learn more about mindfulness meditation, go to www.mindful.org.

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