Getting Started With Mindfulness

What is Mindfulness?  Being Mindful is about experiencing life as you live it,  It’s about using our five senses to be aware of the world around us.  It’s also about being in touch with your own thoughts and emotions.  When you are mindful, you give yourself permission to slow down and live in the moment.

Why Choose to be Mindful?  There are many reasons and benefits to being mindful.  Many will try mindfulness because their therapist suggest it.  Mindfulness is known among the psychology world to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.  Mindfulness can help a person regulate their emotions, reduce stress, improve their mood, improve their focus, and clarify their thoughts!  With so many benefits, it’s not surprising that many people are trying mindfulness in their daily life even if they don’t have a therapist suggesting it.  Many people find mindfulness to be relaxing.

What are some quick ways to start being Mindful?   Incorporating Mindfulness into your day does not require large time slots.  You can do some mindful activities with just a few minutes of your time or you can take longer if you have more time to enjoy it.

10 Ways to Get Started

1. Look for 5 things you find beautiful on your drive to work or while running errands.
2. Take a few deep breaths, paying attention to yourself inhaling, exhaling, and the rise/fall of your stomach.
3. Sit and observe people around you.  This helps give you a new perspective on human behavior.
4. Gratitude Journal: Write a list of 3-5 things you are thankful for that day.
5. Give yourself a hug and think about what you like about yourself.
6. Go outside and listen to the sounds around you.
7. Light a candle.  Enjoy watching the flame flickering.  If scented, enjoy the scent.
8. Use your sense to experience putting on lotion.  What does it feel like?  What does it smell like? How does it make you feel?
9. Mindful eating:  Drink a cup of tea or eat a snack.  While doing so, pay attention to the sights, sounds, smells, feel, and taste of preparing and drinking/eating.
10. While taking a shower use your senses to experience it more fully.  How does the water feel?  What does the soap/body wash smell like?  Describe the texture of your soap/body wash.  Ponder where water comes from.