Mindfulness is the practice of nonjudgmental, intentional awareness of the present moment.

Our nervous system has two key branches that influence our state of mind and body: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, preparing the body for action in times of stress or danger. Sometimes this response is what we need to protect us. But other times our body perceives threats that are actually from experiences in our past, even if those responses are no longer useful.

Once the danger or perceived danger has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system promotes relaxation and recovery. Mindfulness helps activate the parasympathetic system, calming our mind and body, restoring balance, and reducing the impact of stress.

When we take a moment to notice our thoughts or what is happening in our body, a pause gets inserted between the threat and our response—it’s in this pause that we can then CHOOSE our response based on what we know about ourselves and the current situation.