Finding Mindfulness in your Frustration

 As I sit here looking at a blank screen I am presented with frustration. I had a nearly finished post all typed up...and it didn't save. Time to practice my mindfulness in frustration.

This week I wanted to introduce you to Dr. Amishi Jha.

Dr. Amishi Jha is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami. She serves as the Director of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative, which she co-founded in 2010. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California–Davis and postdoctoral training at the Brain Imaging and Analysis Center at Duke University. Dr. Jha’s work has been featured at NATO, the World Economic Forum, and The Pentagon. She has received coverage in the The New York Times, NPR, TIME, Forbes and more. (from her website)

I was recently introduced to Dr. Jha when she was a guest on one of the podcasts I enjoy. During this podcast Dr. Jha shared about a mindfulness practice she engaged in the previous night.

Dr. Jha reminded us, as we all know by now, that mindfulness is being aware in the present moment, without judgement. Sitting in a hotel room, nervous about the upcoming podcast Dr. Jha was struggling to sleep. She lay awake worried, nervous, and frustrated by the sound of the air conditioner. 

At the moment Dr. Jha realized she was frustrated by the sound of the air conditioner she quickly went into mindfulness mode. She embraced the sound. She told herself over and over that the air was on and making noise. She excepted it as reality and embraced its presence. Once she was able to do this the sound no longer irritated her and she was able to continue to calm her mind and body and sleep.

Now think about a student in your class. Do you see them moving all of the time, making a small noise, humming, talking to themselves, etc. ? I imagine this bothers you. Could you embrace it, accept it, and mindfully allow it to exist? 

I am not asking you to ignore screaming. That takes a lot of patience and practice. And is disruptive to the learning environment. I am talking about that one student who likes to tap a pencil, tap a foot, hum, or move around in their chair. 

Try mindfully accepting this event as occurring in your class. The more mindful you become the more at peace you will feel. 

Reduce your own anxiety and frustration. Mindfully accept the present moment, as is, without judgement.