The journey to mindfulness begins with a decision. Whatever happens after that depends on who you trust as your guide. It’s not rocket science; it’s simply a way of life you can easily adapt to. Whether it be formal mindfulness of meditation to the informal mindful eating, learning it is easy. Consistency, however, is the challenge.
It can be hard to begin and stick to something without being consciously aware of it. This term is probably something you’ve heard many people say and yet comprehending it is hard. The simplest was to deduce what it means is to simply read through its definition.
Mindfulness is “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.” When you’re mindful, you’re aware of everything. Also, taking time out to have some ‘me time’ can go a long way in improving your mental health.
In a world of chaos, there’s very little that can happen to distort your peace. In actuality, your mind needs a breathing space every now and then. Seeking self-discovery would lessen a lot of pressure and tension from the outside world. Really, nothing is truly worth it as you’re responsible for your own happiness. You determine your emotions, and beginning a mindful journey will help you know how.
Beginning your journey to mindfulness these ways
1. Mindful breathing
What’s so cool about breathing? When done mindfully, it’s the best feeling. Breathing is one technique not everyone is conversant with as it takes more than living to truly understand the effects of breathing. Here is how you can breathe mindfully:
- Begin breathing through your nose. Inhale for a count of two.
- Hold the breath in for a count of one.
- Exhale slowly for a count of four.
- Finish by holding the breath out for a count of one.
You can do this right where you are for about five minutes. While breathing, be conscious of the “breath in, and breath out”, and tune out everyone around you. Closing your eyes will help in achieving that. After the time elapses, you’ll definitely feel better.
2. Mindful content
You can start the day on a dose of coffee or your healthy vitamins, but that’s not the mindfulness you need. There’s a long way a message, a video or a book can go in feeding your mind. Also, this drives you for a great day out. The truth is that, no matter what occurs, your brain can help trigger words or images from the content you’ve fed it. For your mindfulness, watch this video below of actor Matthew McConaughey.
3. Download an app for meditation
We are lucky to live in a world of technology from where we can benefit positively. One of the ways you can benefit is by getting access to apps that aid mindfulness. One step to mindfulness is by meditating through yoga. These apps can help you establish the right meditation skills for a mindful journey. Calm is a great app that is available for Android and iOS users. It offers guided mindfulness meditation.
4. Mindful eating
Your day could get hectic, and you take less notice of what you eat and how. Sometimes, you eat while working by munching on the closest thing you can find. Try focusing on one action: working or eating. This is the best way to bring calm and focus into your day. You can begin with one meal a day to focus on. Then you can climb up the ladder to two and soon you can practice mindful eating on every meal. The goal is to be conscious and aware of what you’re doing.
But start small now.
- First, appreciate the appearance of the food you are eating. Take the time to notice its appearance, colours, and textures.
- Then remember to chew, and not gobble it up. Break it down before swallowing.
- Finally, think about the flavour of the food in your mouth.
- This isn’t too much to ask, right? We hope you can practice this right now.
5. Write down your thoughts
You don’t have to be the bestselling author of your century to pen down a few words. Honestly, you could keep what you write to yourself alone. However, ensure to write down your thoughts as they come. A lot of things pop up in your mind during the course of the day or at night. So find a means to jot down your thoughts. At the point of writing, your full attention is on it — that’s how it usually works. Only a few can think about something else while writing a thought.