Which practice reduces stress by fostering present-moment awareness and nonjudgmental observation?

• A. Posttraumatic Growth (PTG)
• B. Positive Subjective Experiences
• C. Mindfulness
• D. Flow

Answer: (C)

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment on purpose and in a nonjudgmental way. By noticing thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations as they arise without labeling them as good or bad or trying to push them away, you create space between what you’re experiencing and how you react to it. This shift helps reduce stress because it interrupts automatic rumination and reactivity, allowing a calmer, more deliberate response to stressors. Mindfulness can be cultivated through simple techniques like focused breathing, body scans, or short daily meditation, and it underpins programs such as mindfulness-based stress reduction. The other options describe related ideas but not the same practice: posttraumatic growth involves positive changes after trauma, not a ongoing method for present-moment awareness; positive subjective experiences refer to overall well-being rather than a specific awareness skill; flow is about deep immersion in an activity and is not centered on nonjudgmental present-moment observation.