3 simple ways to be present (without it feeling like hard work)
If I were to talk about mindfulness to you, what would you say?
Perhaps you’d tell me “Oh yes, I tried this a couple of times and I know I should do it more often”.
Maybe your response would be more along the lines of “I tried it once and it’s just not my thing”.
You might even say it’s a load of rubbish or too ‘woowoo’ for you.
Or maybe you’d surprise me and tell me it’s something you practice regularly already.
Most of the people I talk to about mindfulness have either decided it’s not their thing, or have put it into the ‘should do’ category alongside things like doing more exercise and eating more greens.
Today I want to give you some practical tips on how you can incorporate mindfulness into your daily life without it feeling like a chore.
First of all, what is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the art of training the mind into a state of focused attention.
It has many benefits for all aspects of our lives, including mental and physical health, education and learning, better quality relationships, better quality decision making and much more.
One of the main components to mindfulness is focused attention on the mind itself, moment by moment.
When you first intentionally attempt to direct and hold your attention and thoughts, you may become very aware of just how chaotic your mind and your thoughts really are! Remember that this is absolutely normal - so no judgement!
There are lots of ways to practice mindfulness and it’s important to allow yourself to be a beginner if you’re just starting out.
I love guided mindfulness practices (there are plenty on YouTube or try out an app such as Headspace, Calm or Waking Up) as they can help you stay focused.
But if the idea of sitting quietly doesn’t appeal, try out one these options instead:
Mindful moments in your daily routine
You can practice focused attention at any point during your day. A great way to do this is when you’re doing something routine, such as brushing your teeth. For the time that you’re doing that task, focus your attention solely on the task rather than having your mind racing around on a hundred things.
For example, when mindfully brushing your teeth, notice the how the toothpaste feels and tastes. Pay attention to the surface of each tooth. Become aware of the way you brush your teeth - do you always start at the top, or the left side, for example?
Mindful eating
Do you normally eat in front of the TV or while scrolling through your phone? Try mindful eating instead. Sit at a table and put away all distractions so you can focus solely on your food. Notice the flavours, colours and textures. Savour each mouthful, chewing fully and being really aware of what happens in your mouth as you eat.
Mindful eating is highly recommended for digestive well-being as well (the opposite of ‘fight or flight’ is ‘rest and digest’).
Walking mindfulness
Another good option if you find it hard to sit or lie still is to go for a mindful walk (this means no listening to music or talking to a friend).
As you walk, focus your attention on your different senses. For example, start noticing what’s going on in your body. Which part of your foot hits the ground first? Can you feel the sensation of your skin touching your shoes or clothes? Do you arms swing by your sides?
Or focus on what you see around you. Notice the colours, the patterns, the details of everything in your surroundings. You can also focus on what you hear, or what you smell.
These three options can be great choices to start a mindfulness practice and reap the many benefits it can offer. By focusing your attention solely on one thing, you’ll start to notice when your thoughts stray elsewhere. If you find yourself thinking about other things, just gently bring your focus back to what you’re doing (whether it’s brushing your teeth, eating, or walking).
If you’d like to learn more, please reply to this email and I’ll send you a more detailed guide to practising mindfulness.
And do let me know what you experiment with and how you progress!
Have fun practising,
Ruth