Mindful Vs. Mind Full: What’s The Difference And How One Can Help The Other

It is common to confuse mindfulness with mind fullness, but the two are quite distinct from each other.

Mindfulness is being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings in the present moment.

It clears your mind of clutter and gives you relief from your habitual mental chatter.

In contrast, mind-fullness occurs when your mind is overflowing with thoughts and emotions about the past or future.

Your inner dialogue creates a state of chaos and conflict.

Here’s how these two states differ and how mindfulness can counter the adverse effects of mind fullness.

What Does It Mean to Have a Full Mind?

What is mind full thinking?

The term “mind-fullness” accurately describes what it means to have an overactive mind that recycles the same themes.

The phrase describes how distressing thoughts and feelings can create any of the following recurring loops of frustration:

• You feel overwhelmed because you try to do too many things at once. You’re also unsure what to prioritize. You feel you’re stretched too thin. And you feel overwhelmed.
• You have difficulty deciding what to do about something. You can’t seem to make a list of what’s most critical to do. You can’t stay focused enough to become organized.
• You’ve exhausted yourself by overanalyzing a problem. You may have been trying to fix this problem for days. Your overthinking has made you feel like you’re losing your mind. 
• You become overstimulated by social media. Your ever-connected world has turned you into a highly reactive commentator of whatever irks you about other people’s behavior.
• You constantly question whether or not you have done the right thing in a social situation. This has led to chronic feelings of free-floating anxiety.
• You have obsessive and unwanted thoughts about past traumas. When you finally see a mental health professional, you’re diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• You have anxious and compulsive thoughts that keep returning despite your efforts to get rid of them. 
• You find yourself constantly feeling on guard against people and situations that don’t appear to bother anyone else.
• You’re terrified of how terrible things could be in the future because of how much you’re struggling with a health, relationship, or economic problem. Your negative thinking has led to depression, addiction, and eating disorders. 
• You feel restless and move around constantly. Your agitated thoughts, feelings, and behaviors cause interpersonal conflicts with family and friends. This alienation only increases your hyperactivity, anxiety, palpitations, and insomnia.

What Does it Mean to Be Mindful?

You don’t need to feel overwhelmed by your own compulsive thinking. You can take control of your mind instead of letting it control you.

Here are some simple techniques to become more mindful:

• Take a minute to think about the present moment. What are you seeing, hearing, and touching?
• Close your eyes and concentrate only on your breath.
• Watch your thoughts without analyzing or judging them.
• Observe your feelings without judging or analyzing them.
• Notice your physical sensations even when they feel uncomfortable.
• Check-in with yourself to see how you’re doing in the present moment.
• Focus on one thing, perhaps a simple task like washing dishes, without daydreaming about anything.
• Ask yourself what it feels like to be aware of your thoughts?
• Notice your distressing thoughts. What do they tell you about how distracted you can be? How many unwanted memories enter your head without you realizing it?
• Pause to become aware of your thoughts and emotions when someone triggers you.
• Try being present in the moment by observing your thoughts and feelings when you’re watching television.
• Try being mindful when you’re going for a stroll to see if it helps you avoid rumination, which is obsessing over negative thoughts or experiences.
• Remind yourself that learning how to practice mindfulness can help prevent anxiety and depression.

Being mindful isn’t easy, but it’s worth the effort. It’s more than just being aware of your thoughts and feelings.

It’s a skill that takes practice and patience to master.

However, once you get the hang of it, it’s proven to improve your mood, relationships, and work performance.

Mindfulness helps you focus on the present moment and enjoy life more fully.

Mindful vs. Mind Full: 9 Ways to Use Mindfulness for “Mind Fullness”

What is the difference between mindful and mind full?

The practice of mindfulness involves being aware of the present moment and noticing what is happening right now, without judging it. You can practice mindfulness in anything you do, from washing your car to taking your dog for a walk. 

In contrast, mind fullness occurs when your mind is preoccupied with doubts about the future or dwelling on past mistakes, making it difficult for you to be fully here and now. 

In sum, mindfulness involves training your mind to be more present, while mind fullness involves having too many random thoughts competing for your attention. 

Here are nine ways to be more mindful and less mind full.

1. Practice mindfulness when you’re stressed.

Studies have shown that mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety, reduces distractions, boosts focus, and improves physical health.

Try a moment of mindfulness the next time you’re overwhelmed.

By practicing this simple technique, you will start paying attention to your thoughts and sensations without judgment in the present moment. It sounds simple, but it can be difficult when your mind is racing.

Focusing on your breath is one way to practice mindfulness. Notice the air moving in and out of your lungs. Observe your breathing without trying to change it.

2. Practice mindfulness when you’re experiencing unpleasant sensations.

It is easy to bring yourself back into the present moment by feeling your body’s discomfort and pain.

The pain will subside when you stop tensing your muscles in response to nagging or chronic aches.

Moreover, when you focus on the sensation, you may discover that your agitated feelings about it worsen.

The pain may also move around and change over time, helping you understand what’s happening in your body. 

3. Practice mindfulness when you’re feeling scattered.

If you’re feeling scattered, try practicing mindfulness for a few minutes. It will help you feel more centered.

Staying fully present in the moment, aware of the outer and inner worlds without judgment, allows you to collect your thoughts.

Being mindful allows you to see the world objectively, both inside and outside. Your mind has a sense of calm, clarity, and serenity. Negative thinking patterns disappear.

Finding solutions to whatever is stressing you becomes much easier when you can observe your thoughts without getting caught up in them. 

4. Practice mindfulness when you want to have a wonderful day.

Mindfulness can help you have a terrific day every day.

Set a goal to start your day with intention.

Spend time outside seeing the clouds to ground you when you need to destress.

Be aware of your thoughts and actions throughout the day. Take a few deep breaths if you feel yourself getting tense or frazzled.

After the day has ended, consider what you accomplished. Even the most minor things can make a difference to your mood.

Mindfulness practice will train your brain to focus on what’s going well for you.

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5. Practice mindfulness to be more observant.

People who work in jobs that require a lot of focus, like surgeons, pilots, and bus drivers, can’t afford to let their attention wander.

It pays to hone your observational skills if you want to be successful in any field.

This is especially true in fields like medicine or law when it’s useful to notice nonverbal cues from other people.

6. Practice mindfulness in your relationships.

Building stronger relationships requires mindfulness. By paying attention and showing interest, you’ll be better able to connect with others.

You may learn interesting things and have more meaningful conversations when you’re fully present.

Be mindful the next time you talk to someone. Put your phone away and give the person your full attention. Ask follow-up questions and listen carefully.

7. Practice mindfulness to deepen your meditations.

You can be more mindful when meditating through breath awareness and body scan meditations.

Meditation produces neuroplastic effects over time. New neural connections rewire your brain.

Meditating with mindfulness makes meditation easier over time, and your heightened levels of mindfulness will also transfer to your daily life. 

8. Practice mindfulness to become calmer and more carefree.

Take a few minutes daily to be mindful and enjoy a more carefree life.

Paying attention to the present moment without judgment can help you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and surroundings and escape your negative self-talk.

There is growing evidence that mindfulness can have various benefits, including reducing stress, improving your mood, increasing focus, enhancing sleep, and creating feelings of satisfaction and well-being.

9. Practice mindfulness to become more creative and productive at work.

You can improve your level of creativity by being more mindful.

For instance, people in creative fields, such as writing and design, get into a flow state when they become more focused.

By expressing your creativity, you are also more likely to devote more time to your work and become effortlessly productive.

Final Thoughts

Mindfulness involves being present and aware. Incorporating it into your life will improve your well-being, happiness, and success. You’ll live in the present, not in the past or the future.

Conversely, mind fullness refers to being overwhelmed with turbulent thoughts. These trigger stress, anxiety, and depression. It just makes sense to employ mindfulness when you find yourself with a case of mind fullness. 

Practice mindfulness when you feel overwhelmed and need to get centered and balanced again.