It’s easy to get distracted by our thoughts and feelings. We’re often lost in what’s not happening right now instead of focussing on what is. This leads to unhappiness, stress, depression, and an overall sense of negativity.
Mindfulness is a powerful practice that forces us to be aware of the present moment – the external world and the inner world of our thoughts and feelings. It can lead to a happier life if practised regularly alongside meditation.
Mindfulness is essentially about paying attention – to the NOW. Practising mindfulness brings us back into our bodies and ourselves – the only place where authentic, long-lasting happiness resides.
In more detail, mindfulness is about:
Being present and paying attention to our surroundings - enabling greater focus and productivity.
Detaching from past and future thoughts - reducing obsessive worrying and overthinking, which can cause anxiety and depression.
Observing our senses, thoughts, and emotions without judgment – helping us cultivate peace, acceptance and clarity.
Developing self-awareness – being more aware of our thoughts, feelings, and emotions and the things that trigger them.
Choosing our response to situations – helping us to make better choices.
Becoming more thoughtful, compassionate, and empathetic – to ourselves and those around us.
Mindfulness is innate – we were born with the ability to practice it. If leading a high-paced life on autopilot has made you less mindful, the good news is you can still cultivate it.
Living mindfully means living deliberately, paying attention to what is happening around you and inside you at any given moment. It’s essential to be aware of our thoughts and actions. Bringing non-judgmental awareness to them is vital, no matter what they may be like. One way to practise mindfulness is through meditation, but there are many other ways, like going for a walk with your full attention on your surroundings, or taking the time to eat slowly and methodically.
Developing the ability to live more mindfully can help you:
Replace unconscious and rushed habits or reactions with more conscious and thoughtful responses and reactions.
Relax physically as you become more aware of your body and what it’s trying to tell you.
Reduce stress and anxiety as you stop worrying about the future and reliving the past.
Promote peaceful and harmonious relationships as you develop empathy and compassion.
Increase productivity and performance at work and home as you learn to focus on what matters.
Enhance focus and concentration as you clear the mind chatter.
Cultivate self-confidence and resilience as you begin to understand your emotions.
Identify unhealthy thinking patterns and replace them with more positive ones.
Each day we have countless opportunities to practise mindfulness. Following are some practical mindfulness tips for work and home.
Practising Mindfulness at Home
Making your bed – notice the colours or patterns in your blanket or duvet cover.
Feeding pets – notice the gratitude with which they receive their food.
Cooking – notice the individual texture and smells of the things you are cutting and cooking.
At your next family meal, make everyone change positions from their usual seat at the table – you will be surprised at how much more alert you feel!
Slow your eating down and chew each mouthful for a count of 10.
Practising Mindfulness at Work
Start your day by writing a to-do list – keep it achievable and things that need to be done that day only.
Turn off your notifications – they interrupt your flow.
Don’t take devices to meetings – bring your full attention.
Listen during conversations – to clients, colleagues, suppliers, etc.
Stop trying to multitask – close all those tabs and focus on one thing at a time. You will be so much more efficient and productive.
Mindfulness is an incredible practice that can help bring focus, clarity, and stability to your life. By integrating it into your everyday routine, it’s possible to start living in the present moment, allowing for a much more meaningful experience. Practising the simple tips presented above and in my free guide Tips for Living Mindfully will take some time and effort but can be extremely rewarding.
All of us begin from different levels of awareness, but it’s important to remind ourselves that we are capable of making progress in any direction.
For more tips for practising mindfulness download my Tips for Living Mindfully by clicking on the button below.
Like to know more about mindfulness?
Subscribe to the Meditation Sunshine Coast community to receive a free copy of my Quick Guide to Mindfulness Meditation
Order my book Cultivating a Calm Mind (available in audio, print and PDF - see below)
Email or call me on 0438 915 830 to find out how I can help bring mindfulness and calmness to your everyday life
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