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How mindfulness can help security personnel

by Andrew Jones

Last week our resident “mindfulness” expert, Josette Lumbruno, sent me a link to an article titled, "Mindfulness for Security Operatives.” It was originally posted on Get Licensed, an online security training resource based in the U.K. Here is a summary.

The author, who is not identified, first explains what mindfulness is, then describes how it can help security professionals, as well as members of the military.

“Basically,” he says (I am assuming the author is male based on an accompanying illustration), “mindfulness is a process of learning how to directly relate to what is happening in the present moment.” This involves being aware of our thoughts, as well as what we experience through our five senses, focusing on the “now.”

Benefits of practicing mindfulness include reducing our preoccupation with the past or future, which can produce negative feelings such as worry, fear, regret, and anger. Concentrating instead on our immediate daily experiences helps us to develop an inner calmness, which can in turn decrease physical and psychological pain while increasing energy, enthusiasm, and self-esteem.

How does all this help security personnel?

Well, given that security operatives often have to deal with unpleasant situations, mindfulness helps by:

• Increasing their awareness of external forces
• Controlling their reactions to dangerous circumstances (for example, without anger) 
• Keeping their minds sharp so they can focus 

All of this, of course, ultimately helps frontline security people to protect themselves, and others, by resolving issues without incident.

Josette Lumbruno, mentioned above, has further developed these concepts in a post of her own. As a bonus, she also lists some helpful suggestions on how to meditate mindfully. I hope you enjoy them.

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Posted on 7/23/2015