Everyone wants to live a more mindful life. We want to enhance our consciousness so that we can grow and touch other peoples’ lives. But as the saying goes, we don’t get what we want but that which we deserve.
How many times have you woken up late and done everything in a rush without taking a few seconds to visualize how you’d like your day to go?
While running around, someone or something rubs you the wrong way and you quickly react with impatience, frustration or anger. In short, you act in ways you never intended.
The good news is you can change your patterns now. No man or woman was ever too lost to figure out the right path. Pausing for a few minutes every day to practice mindfulness will help you make better decisions. And these decisions will improve the quality of your life.
Today, we are going to explore some of the proven tips that you can use to become more mindful and make better choices in your daily life. But first, let’s define the term mindfulness.
Defining Mindfulness
Mindfulness can be defined as the human ability to be present or aware of what he or she is and what he or she is doing. It also involves not being overly reactive to the environment.
All human beings possess the quality of mindfulness. It’s not something that you have to work hard for. All you need to do is learn how to access it easily.
While mindfulness is an inborn trait, there are certain things you can do to enhance it, for instance, walking, seating, moving or standing meditation, short pauses during the day and other activities such as sports or yoga.
Mindfulness reduces and even eliminates stress, anger, and frustration, whilst improving performance and levels of awareness by observing our minds and the people around us. Mindfulness will help you in suspending judgment and unleashing your natural curiosity. And this will improve the quality of your life and the people surrounding you.
6 Facts about Mindfulness
Mindfulness is not exotic – Mindfulness is familiar to us because it’s what we do and how we are. It takes different forms and names.
- You don’t have to change – You’ve probably tried out solutions that required you to change who you are or become something you’re not. And you’ve probably realized that they never work. Mindfulness is all about cultivating who you are.
- Anyone can do it – Mindfulness is an inborn trait. This means that anyone can do it and enjoy the benefits associated with it.
- It is more than a practice – Mindfulness is not just a practice but a way of life. It makes every aspect of life interesting and captivating while reducing stress.
- It has proven benefits – You don’t have to believe that mindfulness works. Science and experience have proven over time the benefits of mindfulness which include health, happiness, love, and peace to name a few.
- It ignites creativity – In a complex and uncertain world, mindfulness can help us become effective, resilient and solution-oriented.
Practices to Bring Mindfulness into Your Life
1. Start your day with a purpose
Intention can be defined as an underlying motivation for everything we think, do or say. When you act without any intention, there will be a disconnect between the unconscious and conscious impulses of the brain.
Since the unconscious brain will be in charge of decision making and action, mindfulness can help you align your unconscious brain with your conscious brain. And the effects will be reflected by your thoughts, actions, and responses, especially during trying times.
Starting your day with a purpose is not as difficult as it sounds. Before checking your phone when you wake up, do the following:
- Sit in your bed in a relaxed posture – Close your eyes and feel the sensations in your body starting from your head down to your toes. Ensure that your spine is straight. You can also do this on a chair.
- Take three deep breaths and know your intention for the day – Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Relax all the muscles in your body and think of your intentions for the day. Ask yourself, “What do I want to improve today?”
- Once you’ve known your intention, set it and check-in with yourself during the day to ensure that you are on the right path.
2. Mindful eating
Today, the majority of people eat their food in a hurry to fill their stomachs and save time. When was the last time you ate mindfully? If it’s been months or years, it’s time to get back on track. Eating mindfully will not only enhance your senses but also improve your health.
Mindful eating also involves choosing your food consciously and he amount your body needs. How your body looks is largely determined by the food you eat. Consuming healthy nutritious foods will improve your looks and help you feel better.
The amount of food you eat determines how you feel in the long run. Eating too much food leads to fatigue and laziness. And this impacts your productivity and performance negatively. Mindful eating can improve different aspects of life.
3. Pause during the day
As Socrates once said, the unexamined life is not worth living. The majority of people never take the time to reflect on their thoughts and actions. That’s why they find themselves repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Running on autopilot will do you no good.
It’s time to take control of your life by being mindful. Thinking critically before making decisions will save you a lot of time and heartache.
After working or doing something for a few hours, pause and reflect to find out if you are on track. Think of the different ways you can use to improve the quality of your life at the moment. When reflecting, it’s important to keep a journal to track your performance easily.
4. Do one thing at a time
Most people believe that multitasking increases their levels of productivity and performance, while in reality it lowers their efficiency over time. You cannot focus on two things at the same time and do them well. What happens is you’ll end up doing both things in a mediocre way.
Nothing good comes from a person with divided attention. You have to train your mind to focus on one thing at a time if you want to become effective. If you perform a lot of effective acts, you cannot fail. When you focus on one thing at a time, your work and life will be enjoyable, nourishing and efficient.
5. Protect and nurture yourself
Mindful people take care of their minds and bodies. They’ve formed the habit of listening to their minds and bodies. This helps them figure out what nourishes or drains them. By avoiding unhealthy habits such as eating too much, excessive social media, TV and gossip magazines, you’ll be on the path to success. Treat your mind and body with love and respect and you’ll live the life you’ve always dreamed of.
Conclusion
Mindfulness is not a practice but a way of life. It will minimize your stress and improve your focus and efficiency in the long run. Start today. You have nothing to lose.
About the Author
Tobias Foster is a journalist and editor at essay writers and assignment writing service with more than 5 years’ work experience and big ambitions. Philosophy, marketing, and business are his passion, and he has a wealth of knowledge in that field. He is a master of his craft.
