Mindfulness. You don’t have to be a zen buddhist monk to reap its rewards. 

Why?

Because it’s science! It’s just our brain chemistry, really. 

Whether you’re developing or continuing your practice - remember, it’s another avenue to a more full, rich life.

Let researcher Daniel Goleman explain:

Basically, our brains - specifically our prefrontal cortex (the command control for our mind’s attention) and our amygdala (our more dramatic friend, and the trigger point for anger and anxiety) - are in opposition.

And mindfulness - whether it be 30 minutes twice a day on your meditation cushion, or 30 seconds of focusing on your breathing - helps relax the tension between the two.

According to Goleman, this manifests in 3 primary ways:

1. Stronger Focus
   Mindfulness practice allows the amygdala to be a little more chill, and less prone to flip out - and can keep it’s prefrontal counterpart do what it does best: focusing on the tasks at hand.
    
2. Staying Calm Under Stress
   A more relaxed brain means a more relaxed relationship to our triggers, whether it’s an tense work meeting or terrible Thursday evening commute. Stress is inevitable - but manifests as an inability to accept things as they are. 

3. Better Memory
   Calm translates to clarity. Recent studies of grad students with a mindfulness practice ended their studies with better test scores than those without.

   Strategic work, problem solving, intense interactions with others -- all benefit with a stronger recall of facts, thanks to better interpersonal understanding. 

Here’s the bottom line with mindfulness: don’t believe everything you hear. Hype is hype. 

But there are tangible payoffs from a meditation habit. research backs it up - the more hours you meditate, the better your brain - and your results - will be for it.

Think of it as a gym for your mental fitness - and all the more reason to get on the mindfulness bike today.