mindfulness

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   A calm state of paying full attention to what is happening now, including your thoughts and feelings, without judging them.

   Grammar: No plural and no article: mindfulness helps with stress.

   Patterns

   • practice mindfulness
   • mindfulness of something

   Daily mindfulness helped him feel less anxious.

   She teaches mindfulness to schoolchildren.

   Mindfulness can turn a boring walk into a peaceful break.

2. 2noununcountableformal

   The quality of being aware of or careful about something, such as a risk or someone's feelings.

   Grammar: Often followed by of: mindfulness of others.

   Patterns

   • mindfulness of something

   Their mindfulness of the neighbors kept the party quiet.

   Driving in snow demands mindfulness of other vehicles.

   He showed great mindfulness of her feelings.

Common combinations

practice mindfulness

I try to practice mindfulness for ten minutes each morning.

mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation focuses on breathing.

mindfulness training

The hospital offers mindfulness training for nurses.

mindfulness exercise

A short mindfulness exercise calmed the whole class.

cultivate mindfulness

It takes time to cultivate mindfulness.

Synonyms and how they differ

awareness

Awareness is broader and can be about any topic, while mindfulness specifically means present-moment attention.

attentiveness

Attentiveness stresses careful listening or concentration on others, and lacks the calming sense of mindfulness.

presence

Presence is more poetic and suggests being fully there, but mindfulness is a trained practice.

Opposites

Word family

mindful adjective

aware and attentive

mindfully adverb

in an attentive, conscious way

mindless adjective

done without thought

mind noun

the part of a person that thinks

Commonly confused: mindfulness or meditation?

Practice

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