5 Easy Ways to Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Another popular term floating around these days that advertises incredible life change. But what is mindfulness and how can it really change your life? Let’s start with the basics.

Mindfulness is a state of being present and aware in the moment. With all of the chaos that life tends to bring, this idea of being still enough to even notice what’s around you may seem out of reach. Maybe you have kids running around or you’re running a business or you’re trying to survive finals week. If so, you’re probably thinking, “Lady, I don’t know about you but I don’t have the time to sit and be still for 20 minutes. And even if I did have that time, why would I spend it just being mindful when I could be productive?”

I hear you. It seems that everywhere you look, mindfulness is being shown as individuals meditating and focusing on their breath, which is a typical formal practice of mindfulness. What often isn’t shown are all the ways to be present without dedicating 20 minutes to sitting cross-legged on the floor with your essential oil diffuser going in the background (which is totally A-Okay and has a beautiful effect if you have the time and are not being interrupted every 5 seconds).

My hope is for this skill to be accessible to everyone though and so I’d like to introduce some less formal but fully effective practices of mindfulness that will give you the mental clarity and balance you crave.

1)    Notice the Senses. Mindfulness is all about being intentional. I challenge you to change your focus on a daily chore. Let’s take washing the dishes for example. This is probably something you do every single day without even thinking about it. It’s just another thing on your to-do list to check off. Have you ever paid attention to this task though? There are multiple senses involved – Touch, Sight, Smell, Hearing. Next time you do the dishes, intentionally focus your attention to what you notice. What is the temperature of the water? How do the bubbles feel? What does the running water sound like? Try to describe the smell of the soap you’re using. You never know, this mundane task could even become enjoyable.

2)    Mindful Eating. When was the last time you truly tasted what you were eating? Next time you grab a snack, notice the textures, smells, tastes and any sounds associated with the food. Added benefit – you may find yourself becoming full sooner with this practice as being intentional tends to slow down the eating process and increases awareness of when you actually become full.

3)    Gratitude. Being a positive psychology nut, I totally geek out over this one. Stopping a few times each day to notice what you appreciate actually teaches your brain to think of the good and over time it becomes easier to notice all that is going well. Not only this, but it also increases a mindful awareness as well by pausing for a moment to intentionally bring in the good vibes. Talk about a mood booster!

4)    Use your non-dominant hand. It may seem silly but this small challenge actually increases mental flexibility and compassion. Try using your other hand for simple tasks like writing, brushing your teeth or eating. You may get a few laughs in too!

5)    Notice what you notice. Take a few seconds as you’re walking into work, a coffee shop, your home, etc. to look up. This small act gets us out of our own head and widens our perspective. You may be surprised at what you see – even in places you have been in every single day.

Now for the why – What is so great about mindfulness?

Research has proven that a regular mindfulness practice lowers psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, anger and worry. Not only is the negative stuff decreased over time, the good stuff (like greater emotional awareness, joy, gratitude, acceptance and improved emotion regulation skills) increases too!. Anyone else want to have less anxiety, more joy and an improved ability to get yourself out of bad moods? Count me in!

 Giving credit where credit is due:

·      These ideas come from Jan Chozen Bays, MD Mindfulness on the Go Cards. Check them out here.