Mindfulness in itself has become quite the buzzword. For those unfamiliar, it might conjure images of people sitting cross-legged, meditating. In reality, it’s a way of life!
Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present moment, instead of getting caught up in thoughts and worries from the past or in the future.
Mindfulness is something that we all naturally possess, but we need to practice it for it to work for our benefit. Like muscles, we must challenge our thoughts and train our brains to restructure how we see the world around us. Once we reframe how we think, we can start remodeling our brain's physical structures.
Practice Mindfulness By First Identifying Your Intentions
Take a moment to think about the way you live your life. Is there something lacking? Is there a specific emotion or feeling that you could use more of, like confidence? Happiness? Strength? Or love for yourself?
Identify ONE intention, and make it your goal to work towards it.
While it may be tempting to choose several intentions or goals, it’s better to start with one at a time, so that you can put all your attention toward a specific outcome.
It is important to revisit your intention every day, at least once a day. It will act as your reminder to pull away from negative thoughts and refocus your energy toward the present.
One Minute Meditation
Plenty of people say that they don’t have the time to meditate, but just one minute each day can be enough to shift your mind little by little toward positivity.
By taking even a short time to focus on your breathing and be in the present, you’ll tap into sensations that will, with practice, lead to stillness and calm that you’ll be able to channel when you need it.
Start a Gratitude List
Keeping a gratitude journal can be life-changing, and many people swear by it! Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for. Take five minutes (or as long as you need) to jot down a list of things in your life deserving thanks.
You can be as specific or as broad as you'd like. You can write nicely on pretty stationery or scribble your thoughts on a receipt. Make this practice your own.
Every Day Can Be a Good Day
Sometimes we can feel as though our day was pointless. Maybe we didn’t accomplish everything we wanted to. Perhaps something went wrong and caused a bad mood to linger.
No matter what happens, there’s always a way to find a silver lining.
A great practice to start is when you wake up say "Today is going to be a great day!" before you get out of bed.
Stop and Smell the Roses
These days, many of us are spending so much time staring at our phones that we’re missing the world around us. Either that, or we’re so wrapped up in our thoughts, that we’re not even noticing big things going on around us.
To help with the constant distractions or the ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) take a short walk and focus on being mindful. Look at the colors of buildings and houses, read signs around you, and study details that you may have otherwise missed had you been preoccupied with other thoughts.
Listen to sounds, and pay attention to what you smell. Be grateful for having those senses as you move through this world.
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