I love sharing my experience about the Power of Mindfulness.
Have you ever practiced mindfulness?
Or maybe, just like some, do you have no clue what mindfulness is?
Well to define it literally, mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present. This as they say, can be developed through training or meditation. Since the 1970’s, clinical Psychologists and Psychiatrists have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness as this was said to help some psychological conditions. The practice has been employed to reduce symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, and in the treatment of drug addiction. It helps with productivity, health, weight management and happiness
But what exactly is mindfulness?
According to Jon Kabat-Zinn “Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.”
Although its definition is quite convincing or powerful in some ways, the power of actual implementation and practice of mindfulness can give you the opportunity to cleanse yourself, re-focus and restart. It gives you the power and the choice to eliminate the negatives and attract the positivity in your life.
How do I become mindful?
I have recently talked about one of the best and traditional way to train and develop your mindfulness, meditation. Meditation is focusing your mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable status.
You may need to allow time to practice meditation but you can also work on your mindfulness on a daily basis and here are some tips and tricks that you can follow;
Pick a prompt
choose a cue or a sign that you encounter on a daily basis or a routinely basis to remind yourself to be mindful. This will help you shift your brain into mindful mode.
Mindful exercise
mindfulness is the energy that helps us recognize our personal condition. You need to practice to get the energy flowing.
Breathing
When you breathe, don’t just inhale and exhale. Your every breath should be the object of your mindfulness. Focus your attention on your breathing and continuously do it until you finally stop thinking and gain clarity. Practice this for few minutes everyday until it becomes something that you enjoy.
Concentrate
Being mindful is being able to focus on one thing and not get distracted. Always clear your thoughts before focusing on a new one. Give yourself the power to focus on one single thing and do not let yourself be caught off guard and be distracted by anything that is irrelevant to your current focus.
Awareness
Always be aware of your body. Your mind should always be with your body, it should be in sync with each other. Stop letting your mind be somewhere else where your body is not. Be always aware of every sensation, feeling and movement of your body.
Check out my Mindful Eating Ebook to learn how to practice Mindfulness while you eat. THis helps with emotional eating, stress management and weight loss.
Walking
This may sound like a typical thing you do everyday. But if you enjoy walking, and you are taking in all the natural wonders in every step you take and make sure your mind is present in every step you take then you are really walking.
Release
Releasing tension is the most obvious exercise. Releasing tension is also releasing negativity and creating an empty space in your body to attract positivity and new lights. Do not let yourself keep and accumulate tension or pain. You need to release it once in a while to promote a better vision
Some great tips to practice mindfulness
- Practice while you wait – waiting is one of the biggest frustrations in this age of digital media, high speed internet and technological and cultural advancements. So instead of frustrating yourself, look at this as an opportunity to practice.
- The shorter the better – Our brain gets tired or drained, thus short and consistent processes works better than long difficult sessions. So find a short spare time everyday to practice and clear your head.
- First thing in the morning – Practice mindfulness right when you wake up. Try not to immediately pick up your digital gadgets but instead start your day with a clear thought a short breathing exercise and a smile
- Let it be part of your routine – We all follow a daily routine and it’s the best opportunity to put the practice into your routine.
- Let your mind wander – Let your mind run wild and free to wander at times. This helps to relax and clear unwanted thoughts
Find more stress reduction practices here.
Mindfulness, meditation and relaxation should not feel a tedious task you need to comply to fulfil everyday.
It should feel normal and even make you feel joyful and calm.
You can follow the quick and easy steps above to slowly convert your mind to being mindful.
But in the end you must learn and find time to meditate as it is the greatest training your mind can ever have into becoming mindful.
You can check out the recent video I made talking about meditation and how to practice and its benefits.
You may also visit my website or follow me on Facebook or Instagram as I often share tips and tricks on how you can improve oneself and your well-being.
How can you practice mindfulness today? What is your favourite mindful practice? Comment below.
