We live in a world that is racing along at a mile a minute and the same could be said for the brains of many of us. If you have ever found yourself thinking about the things that have happened to you, over and over again, fear not - there are many others like you. Continually reflecting on the past is something that affects many of us. This becomes a problem for people that are ill equipped to deal with the emotional pressures that the mind can induce.

The mind is the source of all emotions. Curiously, unlike many of our thoughts, we can actually feel emotions physically. Rage, joy, apprehension, etc. all produce real bodily sensations that we can feel. It is important, therefore, that we remain aware of our feelings and the reasons for them. An overly heightened degree of self-awareness, however, can have a detrimental effect on our mental health; something we will now discuss.

Self awareness, to an extent, is essential in effective decision making. It stands to reason that we can only take control over our own destiny and circumstance if we feel in control of ourselves. The old adage "everything in moderation" is just as valid here: an excessive amount of self awareness can be counter-productive. We can become so fearful of the consequences of taking action that we are prevented from doing so. Furthermore, this so-called "extreme self awareness" can lead us to being too judgemental of our experiences and actions. It's not easy to strike the right balance but, fortunately, help is not too far away.

The notion of mindfulness based stress reduction has its beginnings in the teachings of Zen Buddhism. It is a beautifully uncomplicated way to interpret the world around us. The main concept of Mindfulness is to be present in the moment without passing judgement on the experience. While the concept is simple, making it work for you is challenging and requires self discipline. The method is as follows: focus your attention on the what you are experiencing at the moment; avoid passing judgment or applying any personal thoughts and feelings; just study what is happening both in your mind and externally around you.

The mind is described by some Mindfulness teachers as a "judgemental machine". Humans seem to have a natural inclination to form instant judgements on any given situation. Our origins as hunter-gatherers are probably the root of this behaviour, where the need for instant "fight or flight" decisions was developed in response to the daily struggle for life. Modern human behaviour tends towards judging experiences as good, bad or neutral. The good and bad feelings receive the most attention, whilst the neutral feelings tend to be accepted without further assessment. Mindfulness encourages us to give all things the same level of attention without passing judgement. We may relate this to looking at the world for the first time again.

Our minds are cleansed and renewed by this new way of looking at things, becoming a clean slate that is calm and rational in its actions. You can start straight away by trying the following exercise. When next you encounter someone you know, attempt to see them through new eyes and endeavour to put aside your pre-existing knowledge, thoughts and opinions. Try this with family members, close friends and colleagues. Where and when you try this is not important; it should work in any situation or environment.

Mindfulness based stress reduction helps us to reduce or eliminate the effects of thinking something that is unhelpful or unrealistic. It allows us to direct our thinking in a way that increases and improves our personal contentment and success. Developing mindfulness gives us the ability to experience our thoughts without passing judgement on their 'truth'. As many of the negative thoughts we experience when we are emotionally upset tend to be distorted and unhelpful, it is much better to identify them as natural symptoms of a particular emotional state and consequently let them go. Realising that thoughts and emotions work in tandem, it is clear that the sooner you come to the point where you can view thoughts objectively, the sooner your personal feelings will improve.

Increasing your awareness of the unhelpful thoughts that enter your mind when you feel low or dejected will make it easier for you to distinguish them from those ideas that have basis in reality. Familiarity with the dark side of emotions will equip you to cope with and manage negative thought. Practicing mindfulness based stress reduction in a variety of situations and settings will eventually enable you to recognise and minimise the effects of false negative emotions, allowing more time and space for positive and life-enhancing emotions.