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Mindfulness, did you know that every human being already possesses this quality? You do though have to learn how to access it. Mindfulness is the human ability to be present and aware of what we are doing and where we are. You’re usually not overly reactive by what is going on around you. One is cool and collected.
Things To Know About Mindfulness
- It’s evidence-based
- You don’t need to change to achieve it
- Anyone can do it
- It sparks motivation and creativeness
- It’s a way of living
- It can be transformational
The Functions of Mindfulness
Sensory: Use all senses. Notice every sound, smell, sight, touch, and taste. Once you acknowledge them, think of them separately and without judgment. Then, let them go.
Impulse Surfing: When there are addictive substances or behaviors involved, how do you cope with them? Try noticing how your body feels when the cravings start. Perhaps you may keep track by journaling? Next, you need to replace the “want” for the particular yearning to go away with a specific knowledge that it will subside.
Basic Mindfulness Meditation: Find a quiet place. Sit and focus solely on your natural breathing, a single word, or a mantra that you can repeat silently and peacefully. As you focus on this, allow your thoughts to come and go without judgment. Acknowledge them. Then return your focus back to your breathing, word or mantra.
Emotions: This is a big one and probably the one most people struggle with. Again, you have to acknowledge your emotions without judgment. Name your emotions as they are….anger, happy, confused, frustrated. Then accept them and let them go.
Do you see the pattern? Acknowledge without judgment and then let things go!
The Benefits of Being Mindful
Ironically, when we meditate, it doesn’t help to fixate on the benefits of mindfulness. It counteracts with progress. When we are in the state of being mindful, we automatically enhance our performance, increase our attention to other’s well-being, as well as our own, reduce stress and other benefits.
Mindfulness Increases Body Satisfaction
When you are cognizant of your body and how it reacts to certain things and/or situations and you are aware of those feelings, good or bad when you let them go. the body is more satisfied.
Mindfulness Is Said To Improve Knowledge
When your brain is focused and you have absolute control of it, you will retain more. This is because we are able to sustain longer attention spans.
Mindfulness Meditation Helps The Brain Reduce Distractions
This trains the mind to focus and concentrate on becoming more critical in an environment where our minds are stretched all over the place at all times.
Here Are Seven Exercises One Can Practice In Under 60 Seconds
- Yawn and stretch for 10 seconds every hour. Focus on the motion and how it makes you feel.
- Three hugs a day.
- Mindfully eat a piece of candy or fruit and savor the taste.
- STOP… (S)stand up and breathe, (T)tune into what your body is saying, (O)observe your surroundings, (P) positive thoughts, there is a positive for every negative…find it.
- Mindful breathing for one minute.
- Loving-kindness meditation.
- Mindful Listening.
These are only a few, but you get it. It all goes back to be aware of how you feel and your surroundings.
How To Practice Mindfulness
Go With The Flow People!
During mindfulness meditation, after you master concentration, you observe and feel the flow of your emotions, inner thoughts, and bodily sensations without judging them as good or bad.
Pay Attention!
Not only are you aware of the thoughts and emotions, but notice the external senses as well. Acknowledge sounds, touch, and sight. And again the end goal is not to hang onto these signals but to acknowledge them and let them go.
Stay With It!
The process of mindfulness mediation can be a little overwhelming and may not be at all relaxing for you at first. But with frequent practicing will come greater self-awareness and more happiness overall.
Some Mindfulness Tips In Case You Get Off Track
If at first, you do not succeed, try, try again.
Let’s say you have a certain time of day you want to meditate, but you miss it. Don’t stress it. Do it when you get to it. Nothing says you have to do this at a certain time or moment. It can be done anywhere and everywhere.
Remember to redirect.
Does your mind ever wander? Mine does. I like to plan, sometimes daydream or maybe focus on a bad situation. We need to listen to our different sensations and redirect ourselves to the present tense.
Meditation Simplified
- Sit comfortably.
- Notice what your legs are doing.
- Straighten your upper body.
- Notice what your arms are doing.
- Soften your gaze.
- Feel your breath.
- Notice when your mind wanders from your breath.
- Be kind about your wandering mind.
- When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze
Do you want to know more?
If you like quizzes CLICK HERE to know how mindful you are.
To conclude, you need to understand that mindfulness isn’t about getting somewhere. It is simply a matter of knowing where you already are; that you’re already there. And awareness is being conscious and alert to thoughts, experiences, and events that are happening right now. So too are acceptance and acknowledgment; being able to comprehend that things are (or are not) happening and that your thoughts, feelings, and actions, are just that: thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Along with awareness, acceptance and acknowledgment Be mindful, live in the moment and Think Me First!
