There are many different ways to practice mindfulness such as meditation, affirmation cards, journaling and more. One of the most effective is meditation, specifically meditation through breath. An eight week study done in 2022 by Susanna Ferugilo, a PhD student studying psychology at Sapienza University in Rome, followed three groups of novice meditators all practicing different forms of mediation. One group focused on their breathe while meditating, the second group was shown a body scanning technique that brings attention to the body and physical sensations when mediating and a third read a book on meditation. By the end of the study all three groups showed increased mindfulness and decreased rumination- a repetitive, negative thought pattern. In addition, those in the breath group developed a more positive outlook on the future. The breath mediation style was so effective because "Mindful breathing trains practitioners to shift their attention from inner thoughts to the breath" says Susanna Ferugilo. "Every time they became aware that their mind is wandering, they returned their attention to their breathing. As a result, it works as a distraction from rumination and prevents the mind from getting caught up in negative thoughts."
