Are you anxious and preoccupied? Is life a blur? Find out how to practice mindfulness and re-engage with life.
Mindfulness is available to anyone at any time. We can choose to be anxious and preoccupied or we can choose to be calm and connected. Through the practice of mindfulness we learn how to live in the moment.
Most of us go through life in a daze. We obsess about the past and worry about the future. We’re often distracted and rarely focus on who or what’s in front of us. We miss out on all these golden moments because our minds are somewhere else entirely.
Does that sound like you? Would you like to be more present and engaged with life?
Mindfulness can help you to focus, reduce anxiety, be more attentive and live in a more fulfilling way.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the state of being fully present, engaged in the moment and free of distraction, judgement or anxiety.
It’s a healthy state that allows us to enjoy our lives and make good choices.
While mindfulness is something we’re all naturally capable of, we often lose ourselves to panic, worry and fear. Stress has become the default state for many people and causes a wide variety of problems, from career to health.
Through the practice of mindfulness we can quiet our minds, reduce anxiety, feel more positive emotions and communicate better. It’s an essential skill that improves our health and enhances our quality of life.
When someone is mindful they are:
- Calm – Breathing deep, muscles relaxed, heart rate slow and steady.
- Focussed – Tuned in to the breath, or a single task/point of focus.
- Fully present – Living in the moment, not the past or the future.
- Aware – Conscious of what’s occurring directly via the senses.
- Positive – Experiencing positive feelings and emotions.
- Non-reactive – Observing without reacting impulsively.
- Non-judgemental – Observing without forming attitudes and opinions.
Basic mindfulness exercises
There are many ways to practice mindfulness. Meditation and deep breathing exercises are the best place to begin, as they focus the mind on the breath and calm the nervous system. When we enter a relaxed state, mindfulness follows.
The basic mindfulness exercises are:
1. Mindfulness Meditation. Sit and be in the moment. Observe any thoughts, feelings, emotions and sensations that come and allow them to pass like clouds in the sky, free from judgement or response.
2. Body Scan Meditation. Mentally “scan” your body, looking for areas of tension. When you notice a point of tightness or discomfort, mentally release it.
3. Walking meditation. Walk slowly and deliberately. Breath deeply and kiss the ground with your feet. Observe the sights, sounds and sensations of walking, free from any goals or direction.
Some mindfulness practices have a clear structure, such as a meditation class, or guided audio meditation. These help you to develop focus, awareness and sensitivity with the aid of an instructor.
We can also bring mindfulness to everyday activities. Taking a shower, walking the dog and sitting in a meeting at work, for example, can all be done mindfully.
All we have to do is breath, focus and commit to the present moment. It’s magic when we get there.
A combination of structured and non-structured mindfulness practice gives us the most benefit, and allows us to explore a wide variety of activities in a mindful way.
How to practice mindfulness throughout the day
There are many opportunities to practice mindfulness throughout the day. You don’t need a lot of time or any special equipment, you just need to bring your full attention. Mindfulness is not so much what you are doing, but how present and connected you are in the moment.
Here are some great opportunities to practice mindfulness:
- Cleaning your teeth
- Morning yoga
- Taking a bath or shower
- Walking to work
- Preparing a meal
- Eating a meal
- Hoovering the house
- Going for a run
- Doing homework with your kids
- Writing in your journal
Everyday activities, no matter how mundane, can be delightful when we’re fully present. When we’re immersed in something and lose all distraction, it transforms the experience. We feel calm, centred and light-hearted. We do it with more curiosity, pride and intention.
When we practice mindfulness, we get in the flow of life.
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