Life easily bores down on us, making us feel tired and weary. Moreover, as we always remain in a rush to keep pace with our lives, we forget to live and experience life in itself!
Mindfulness comes to our rescue at this point. Simply put, mindfulness allows us to take time and be able to enjoy the time one has in the present. Therefore, one can now indulge in and experience all the pleasures of life!
By practicing mindfulness, we grow conscious of ourselves. We start to pay attention to our thoughts and feelings. Moreover, we also start paying attention to the world around us.
Mindfulness exercises are neither time-consuming nor skill-intensive. All you need is just a few small changes in your daily routine and you are good to go!
It was just recently that I went to a private birthday celebration bangalore. There, I got a wonderful friend from whom I learnt about the importance of mindfulness.
So, here are five simple tips that will help you practice mindfulness each day:
1. Start the Day with Simple Deep Breathing
One of the easiest and best ways to practice mindfulness is by focusing on your breath. Take a few slow breaths in the morning when you are sitting up in bed. So, before getting out of bed, try breathing in, and then breathing out slowly.
Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Then, breathe in slowly through the nostrils. Hold for a short time, then breathe out slowly through the mouth. Repeat this several times. Secondly, focus all your senses on any sensations happening within your body with each breath.
Deep breathing cleanses your mind and lets you start the day on an even pace. It also gives a sense of peace that trails throughout much of the day. During the day, things can go a little amiss at times. But when it happens, run back to this simple breathing exercise. It will help relax and soothe your mind and body.
2. Paying Attention to Day-to-Day Activities
We are always hurrying to brush our teeth, eat or even to walk to work. So, we hardly pay attention to what is happening around us. But you can become aware very fast by paying attention to every detail of simple, everyday acts. So take a little time to note the different sensations. From feeling the bristles of the brush rubbing on your teeth, to the gurgle of water while washing your teeth, notice everything!
When you eat, notice and enjoy the bites that go into your mouth. Notice the smells, flavors, and textures. Mindful eating also develops appreciation for eating. Further, mindful eating would avoid one from overeating.
You can even connect while doing mundane activities like walking. For example, while walking, observe the soft earth feeling in your feet. Notice things happening around you while you are walking. This grounding in those everyday chores will keep you right on the track. This will keep your consciousness back into the present.
3. Take Small Breaks for Reflection and Re-Charging
It’s all a bit too easy to just fall into routines. So do just take little moments within your day to stop and be still. Even just for one or two minutes at a time is perfectly fine.
For this session, close your eyes, take a few breaths, and tune in with yourself. Ask how are you doing? Are you tired, stressed, or anxious? Or do you feel happy and relaxed? Take a few minutes to be even more attentive to what’s happening. Such a practice helps to make better decisions and reduce tense situations.
You may take these breaks to get up from your chair for some stretching of the body. It helps in relaxing your body. Refreshing the body and mind with a quick stretch makes it easier to concentrate on the present moment.
4. Live in Gratitude
Spend at least a few minutes daily thinking about everything you have to be thankful for. Whether it is seeing time spent with your loved ones or just gazing through the beautiful sun set. You can practice gratitude through keeping a journal of what you feel you are grateful for every day.
Write at least three lines every day. This practice really sets the focus from what is missing in your life to what is already good. It really helps keep one’s head up. Moreover, it allows one to focus on the little things that one would otherwise rarely notice.
Practicing gratitude day-to-day makes one content in the present. This is a very simple technique whereby one can easily bring happiness to their life.
5. Unplug Yourself from Technology
It’s very easy in this day and time of high tech to get derailed by phones and computers. And, of course, there is social media tacked onto that. So, of course technology is great, but sometimes it gets in the way of being present. One way you can practice mindfulness is to simply leave technology behind every now and again.
Allocate some time every day to fully disengage from all gadgets. You can use such a time to watch everything that happens around you or simply lie there reading your book. You can also walk out and sit there in complete silence.
Try not to open up your phone, though your hands may twitch each time you hear the notification sound. Instead use that time for some deep breathing or mindfulness exercise. Try not to limit your screen time as much before bed, particularly. It may help your sleep. And it will make you feel fresh the next day!
Conclusion
In pure words, mindfulness is simple yet powerful in letting people usher in peace and balance in life. It can help minimize stress and enhance concentration. Mindfulness is performed through means that connect one with this ever-changing moment.
You do not need special equipment or tools to practice mindfulness in your life. In fact, you can practice it easily in your daily life! From taking short pauses to expressing gratitude, even simple and small tactics can take you a long way.
Then, begin with small moves and practice mindfulness in your life today! Gradually, it will become a habit for you. Most importantly, be patient with yourself and peace and mindfulness will come naturally to you!
