Mindfulness is a technique you can learn to be fully engaged in the moment without judging anything.

It can help you to manage your thoughts, feelings and mental health.

Zanshin, or mindfulness, translates to “remaining mind” and refers to being fully present in every action.

In Japanese culture, mindfulness extends beyond meditation to encompass attention to detail, care in craftsmanship, and being present in each moment. It is the foundation for practices like continuous improvement (kaizen), where progress is made by focusing on the small details that can be refined and perfected over time.

Mindfulness is the key because it allows you to observe the subtle shifts and nuances that lead to progress.

If you’re not paying attention in the moment, you may miss the chance to implement the necessary changes.

Mindfulness can help you:

to understand your emotions better

to cope better with difficult thoughts

to feel calmer

to boost your attention and concentration

to improve your relationships

Anyone who wants to improve their day-to-day well-being can practice mindfulness. While it has roots in Buddhism, you don’t have to be religious or spiritual to practice it.

However, you may not find mindfulness helpful if you’re very unwell and would find it too overwhelming to learn a new skill. You also need to be prepared to notice difficult thoughts, which could make you feel worse at first.

People with post traumatic stress disorder desorder should know that mindfulness could worsen their trauma symptoms. If you’ve experienced trauma, paying close attention to yourself in mindfulness exercises can trigger flashbacks or intense emotions.