Self Improvement vs Mindfulness – What’s The Difference? (I Had It All Wrong)
By the end of 2009, I picked up my first Self Improvement book. I was feeling miserable working as an employee for a shipping company. I felt I had to be, do, and do something different with my life. I attracted the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki.
This kind of personal development is related to developing yourself in the areas of entrepreneurship, career, finances, investing, and wealth generation.
A few pages in and I realized where my discontent was coming from. I had to be my own boss as a business owner. And that’s where to chase to “be someone” differently began.
Mindfulness, however, is completely something different. I didn’t really understand it first when I attended the mindfulness in nature session. Instead of observing my surrounding, I was seeking something within myself that was out of place and that I had to improve. Always overanalyzing my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Was I conditioned to think like that because of the many years wandering around in the self-improvement market?
The Difference between Mindfulness and Self Improvement
We live in a society that values more the “doing” aspect than the “being” aspect. Then why is it we are human beings and not human doings?
The whole self-improvement and even the new age spirituality niche is therefore also tailored towards doing and having. There must be some kind of purpose, isn’t it?
Self-improvement has therefore an element of non-acceptance. Don’t accept where you are as you must be better, be different, do more, and have more. Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with learning new skills and developing your personality. And of course, make a difference in the world and experience more freedom and independence.
What I am referring to is the aspect that can come across as a bit toxic. Marketing messages that make you feel something is wrong with you. You are not good enough. You don’t do enough or have enough. Therefore you must overcome this “one thing” that is holding you back from the success you are looking for.
Once you have that success you can buy yourself into status, and certain social circles. Blablabla. That kind of self-improvement stuff.
Or the idea that you must always be in a positive state. Keep your vibrational frequency as high as possible otherwise something must be wrong with you. And therefore you can’t manifest the things you always dreamt about all this time.
This kind of information comes across as the power is only in the hand of the guru and you must pay the guru a small fortune in order to improve. And if it doesn’t work for you then you are not doing the right thing. But there might be more of an advanced course, masterclass, seminar, or workshop when you can finally do the things you didn’t do right before.
Mindfulness in nature however is completely the opposite. It’s not about a goal, a purpose, a change you must make, problems to solve, or something to improve.
It’s really about becoming aware of the present moment. What is it that you can observe?
When you practice Mindfulness in nature (let’s call it forest bathing or nature therapy) you can start to pay attention using your first 5 basic senses of perceiving. Hearing, smelling, seeing, touching, and taste. Doing so will help you to ease down the hyperactive mind.
By bringing your attention to the present moment you can experience more acceptance for what is. Let go of any need, want to desire to be, do or have something different. That can cause a layer of restlessness, stress, or even anxiety.
Simply observing what it can even make you realize that indeed you are part of something bigger. An intelligent web or ecosystem. Something that speaks to us and through us, only when we learn to pay attention.