The Best Ways to Bring Mindfulness into Your Daily Life
Have you been interested in bringing mindfulness into your life but can’t seem to find the time? Or the method that works for you? Maybe you’ve tried to start a meditation practice and found it wasn’t quite clicking, or as much as you’d love to master a handstand, you can’t really imagine yourself doing yoga. The good news is that mindfulness is so much more than these practices that we often associate with it (which are still wonderful!). Instead, mindful thinking can truly be a lifestyle in which our day-to-day actions are intentionally present.
To be completely absorbed in the moment all of the time is unlikely, but we can practice building this muscle through small daily changes. Mindful people do the same everyday tasks as people who do not have this habit; they just view life from a different perspective.
Read on to learn more about what mindfulness is and build ideas on how to implement this skill in your day-to-day life.
What is Mindfulness, and Why Do it?
Mindfulness is purposely bringing our full attention and nonjudgmental awareness to the present moment. This way of providing us with the opportunity to thoughtfully exist in real-time instead of ruminating on the past or future. We can connect to our conscious needs and desires when we are in this space and experience whatever pleasure the moment has to offer. Moving throughout life this way is quite the opposite of many of us, as the unconscious mind tends to attempt autopilot shortcuts or race ahead, anxiously waiting for the next task.
When we embody this mindful space, we can be curious about ourselves and what is around us. Embracing this curiosity allows us a greater ability to explore our behavior, manage emotions, relieve stress, and care for feelings of overwhelm. Mindfulness encourages us to tap into a higher level of functioning, which helps us act out our days in the way we desire.
How to Bring About Mindfulness
Becoming mindful can look many different ways, and we can develop our own unique styles of connecting to the moment. As you are exploring for yourself, here are some ways to get started.
Begin to Notice Your Body: Start to bring attention to the sensations in your body. Are your muscles tense or relaxed? Are you seated or standing? Do you need to change your position to be more comfortable? Can you lengthen your spine?
Become Aware of Your Breath: Begin to notice your normal breath without changing it. How does the air feel coming into your nose or mouth? How does your breath move throughout your body?
Play with Intentional Breathing: There are many different breathing exercises you can try with the aim of relaxing and increasing mindfulness. Start by slowing and deepening your breath. Can you move your breathing deeper from your upper chest down into your belly? Can you lengthen your exhales or send your breath to specific areas of strain within your body?
Be Curious: As you implement the techniques above, you can begin to be curious about what sensations are arising. How does the air feel on your skin? How are you experiencing this day? What do you need?
All of these steps can literally be done in a minute! Mindfulness doesn’t need to be an activity that cuts into your time. You can follow these steps for as long as you want to and begin to build awareness of the present moment. It can be helpful to take a few breaks in the day to take a pause and recenter.
Ideas for Making Small Changes
Taking time to notice your body and your mind is a great way to start practicing mindfulness. Ways to expand this into a lifestyle is by starting to employ this skill in daily life. Here are some ways you can apply breathing and curiosity to the everyday.
Setting Intention - Instead of going into autopilot, take a moment in the morning to connect with yourself and set an intention for the day. Centering yourself like this provides a space to consider what you need or want to focus on this day. An example of this could be increasing self-compassion. During mindful pauses in the day, you can come back to this intention.
Reviving the Mundane- There are so many things that feel like a chore that we want to rush through. Instead, notice the warmth of the water as you wash dishes, the color of the sky on your morning commute, and the feeling of the coffee cup in your hand. This awareness opens us up to the joy of the present moment.
Slowing Down Conversations - Mindfulness can help relationships by improving communication. When talking with someone, remove distractions and focus on what the other person is saying instead of your reply. Give yourself time to think about what you want to say back after actively listening. This mindful pause will allow the other person to feel heard and for you to say what you mean.
Mindful Eating - When you are getting a snack or a meal, take a minute to slow down. Bring your attention to the act of eating and savor each bite of food. You can also notice how you feel before, during, and after eating, which can help increase satisfaction with eating and notice when you feel full.
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