Library Anxiety: Mindfulness

The most widely used definition of Mindfulness comes from Jon Kabat-Zinn: "Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally." (From Whereever You Go, There You Are--Mindfulness Meditation).

To begin applying mindfulness to your anxiety, Mindful.org has provided a short description of 10 attitudes that will help build the foundation for successfully addressing anxiety:

• Volition or Intention:  This is the building block of all other attitudes. First, you must bring your focus to working with your anxiety.
• Beginner's Mind: This refers to a mindset that is ready to see from a new perspective and consider new ideas with regards to dealing with anxiety.
• Patience: This is a very important attitude to cultivate, since it can broaden your perspective and help you persevere when you run into obstacles on your journey.
• Acknowledgment: Having the mindset of acknowledgment means that you take each experience for what it is; you accept what is happening and are secure in the knowledge that it will pass.
• Non-judgment: This attitude involves experiencing your present moment without evaluating and judging it. It means you let go of value judgments about yourself and how you are feeling and allows you to begin your work from a more balanced starting point.
• Non-striving: This attitude refers to the willingness to accept a situation or experience as it is, without trying to change it. To combat your anxiety, you must first be present with it and accept your current state.
• Self-reliance: The mindset of self-reliance is characterized by trusting yourself and your ability to handle your feelings. Cultivating your self-reliance will allow you to more easily acknowledge, experience, and let go of your anxiety.
• Letting be or Allowing: Similar to the attitude or non-striving, letting be or allowing refers to the mindset of allowing yourself to feel anxiety. Often it is more effective to work with Anxiety than expend energy trying to deny or fight it.
• Self-compassion: As mentioned earlier, showing yourself compassion is an important part of mindfulness. Being kind to yourself, as you would be kind to a dear friend of family member, can help you to decrease your anxiety by being a support for yourself.
• Balance and Equanimity: These attitudes allow wisdom to develop through a broadening of perspective. They require an understanding that your whole experience is more than your current feelings, whether positive or negative.

Excerpted from Courtney Ackerman's 22 Mindfulness Exercises, Techniques & Activities For Adults. 

For more information on Mindfulness and how it can affect your library anxiety, research, and academic performance explore the library's Mindfulness Libguide.