Mindfulness Revolutionizes Military Mental Resilience

yep out of the whoo-whoo and into the military

Hey Mindfulness Warriors!

We had the honor of hosting Lieutenant General Walter Pyatt and Dr. Amishi Jha, who took us on a journey into the transformative power of mindfulness in the military.

Here are the top takeaways just for you:

1. Mindfulness as a Performance Enhancer

Forget the stereotype that mindfulness is about becoming a Hippie, sitting cross-legged and chanting "Om." the only reason that the military even considered mindfulness was because it's about performance enhancement.

Dr. Jha sold the Lt General Pyatt on this point and how mindfulness will help service members stay focused and razor-sharp when it counts the most.

"It's like push-ups for your mind," as Lieutenant General Walter Pyatt put it.

So True. Or maybe it helpful to think of the mindfulness as developing cognitive fitness…?

2. The Power of Being Present

We were happy to hear of how Lt General Pyatt experienced the benefits mindfulness outside to the military ecosystem. He shared a touching story about how mindfulness helped him reconnect meaningfully with his family.

After practicing mindfulness, he found himself truly listening to his wife. “What a beautiful voice she has” he recalled. The General also found himself being more present with his son.

See the practices of mindfulness isn’t just a powerful focusing tool, it helps you to become present to all aspect of your life. As you practice and become more and more present you understand on a deeper level that it’s a skill that helps you to thrive and make every moment count.

Lt General Pyatt explains the power of being in the moment:

3. From Skepticism to Advocacy

Both Walt and Jon admitted they were initially skeptical about mindfulness. Jon even laughed at his counselor when it was first suggested. But once they experienced the benefits, they became staunch advocates.

Walt described his first meeting with Dr. Jha as a revelation, realizing that mindfulness was the missing piece in their training.

Maybe this skepticism comes from the unwillingness to change or because mindfulness is a skill that isn’t as tangible as hitting a target or building strong lean muscle. Mindfulness works within the unseen, on the inside. Just because you can’t measure mindfulness in inches or velocity doesn’t mean it isn’t effective and necessary. If these battle-hardened warriors can embrace it, so can you!

4. Tailoring Mindfulness to the Military

Dr. Jha and her team didn’t just throw a generic mindfulness program at the soldiers. They tailored it to fit the military culture, using language and metaphors that resonated with the troops. They even tested different approaches to find what worked best. the beauty of mindfulness is that it can be adapted to fit any environment, even one as demanding as the military.

So, if you’re curious about how mindfulness can transform not just your mental state but your entire approach to life, you’ve got to listen to this episode.

Thank you for checking this out!

May The Mindfulness be with you!
Will & Jon
MTM founders

P.S. 2025 will be here before you know it!

THE BEST PLACE to START your mindfulness journey is by learning the practice of meditation. Sign up for one of the two upcoming meditation courses. Take a 1min watch from the video below and see how this course will help you - ignore the “fall” courses mentioned we have two that start in January 2025.

Here is the site with all the info: www.mentalkingmindfulness.com/learnmeditation