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The transformative benefits of mindfulness in dentistry

BDJ In Practice volume 35, pages 26–28 (2022)Cite this article

The year was 2016, and I was in the depths of a divorce I did not want. Struggling with the experience of a rollercoaster of emotions, from hopelessness and anxiety to anger and confusion, I reached out for a book recommended by my therapist. It was on mindfulness. Although deeply cynical of anything trending, I took a colossal leap of faith that day, into what became a pivotal point in my life. Mindfulness became my anchor. One that helped me not only surf the difficult, painful moments of grief, it also supported me in inviting positive emotions: serenity, self-compassion, gratitude, optimism and meaning. For the first time in my life, I had a wellbeing tool that I could use to become self-aware, to observe my emotions and thoughts without fusing with them, to self-regulate, and intelligently react to my thoughts without being jerked around by them.

Simply put, mindfulness is the ability to pay attention to the present, without getting lost in the story of our thoughts. Our mind is a constant chatter of anxious thoughts about the future, or thoughts ruminating about the past. Mindfulness allows us to react with our emotions and thoughts with kindness, equanimity and intelligently, so we aren't jerked around by them.

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  1. Mind Ninja, London, UK

    Mahrukh Khwaja

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  1. Mahrukh Khwaja
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Correspondence to Mahrukh Khwaja.

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Khwaja, M. The transformative benefits of mindfulness in dentistry. BDJ In Pract 35, 26–28 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-022-1163-7

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