How to become more mindful!
If you’re reading this, chances are you have a pretty good idea why mindfulness is important. But in case you haven’t explored this topic yet, let’s dive into the power of mindfulness in helping you to build a life you love.
Mindfulness brings our focus to the present and allows us to feel a deep sense of peace.
No matter where you are on your mindfulness journey, the best way to become more mindful is through regular and consistent practice. As with any muscle, the more you practice, the stronger it will become.
In this episode of Solicited Advice, I offer a quick mindfulness exercise to help you build your mindfulness muscle!
I love the fact that you’re asking this question! I’m guessing it means you realize how powerful mindfulness can be in helping to build a life you love.
If you’ve made your way here because you’re wondering what the big deal is with mindfulness and why everyone keeps talking about it, let’s go back to that quote by Lao Tzu: “If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
Mindfulness is a tool that helps us bring our focus to the present, out of the past or the future, and allows us to feel a deep sense of peace.
No matter where you are on your mindfulness journey, the best way to become more mindful is through regular and consistent practice. As with any muscle, the more you practice, the stronger it will become.
Here’s a simple mindfulness exercise you can easily build into your day:
Set an alarm on your phone for every hour during your waking hours. When it goes off, stop whatever you’re doing and check in with your five senses:
- What do you smell?
- What do you hear?
- What do you taste?
- What do you feel? (Don’t limit yourself to what you can hold in your hands – what do you feel on your skin? What does it feel like inside your body?)
- What do you see?
Try to be as detailed as possible in noticing the sensations each of your senses is experiencing.
Play a game with yourself to see how descriptive you can get. Instead of seeing a tree, perhaps you see a maple tree with spring green leaves dancing in the breeze. The rough brown branches are spotted with lichen, and the roots are gently arching up around the base.
Once you’ve worked your way through all five senses, go back to what you were doing until the next alert goes off.
Additional ways to use the mindful moment
If practicing this technique every hour feels to difficult for you, consider these other options for incorporating it into your life. Take a mindful moment:
- when you’re in the shower each morning;
- anytime you feel stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated, or anxious;
- as you take the first bite of every meal or first sip of every beverage;
- right before bed each evening;
- each time you cross a threshold from one room to another or between the outdoors and inside; or
- on a mindfulness walk.
The more you can incorporate your mindfulness practice into your daily routine, the stronger it will become.
I’m sending you a great big hug – you’ve got this!
If you enjoyed this episode of Solicited Advice, check out other episodes, and while you’re there, make sure you subscribe to my YouTube Channel so you don’t miss out on future episodes released each Monday & Thursday!
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