A whole body experience, being mindful (or practicing mindfulness) is when you are consciously aware of your positionality in correlation to the world around you. Having a mindful outlook on life allows you to see your presence in the grand scheme of life itself.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness can be achieved through stilling one's mental dialogue (thoughts, doubts, negative self-talk, restless ponders), focusing one's awareness in the present, and acknowledging all the layers that make up the identity carried - feelings, thoughts, bodily sensations/reactions, and perspectives. The following is a brief overview of fostering mindfulness within the self ~
Awareness
The day-to-day mayhem of life can becoming taxing as the repetition within of schedules, shifts, and obligations grow. Being aware of the course load/workload one has taken on is a step towards mindfulness. When beginning the journey of being mindful, start off by looking at yourself. Ask yourself
- What is it I do in a day?
- Do my tasks/obligations serve me?
- How am I managing the tasks/obligations I have taken on?
- What can I take out of my day-to-day regime to lighten or better organize the load?
These are the starting points of awareness. In the speedy nature of life, it is important to begin to pause and really evaluate where we are in retrospect to the creation.
Feelings
The emotions one experiences are valid - no emotion is silly, pointless, or meaningless. When one begins to work towards having a mindful outlook on life, be sure to start by assessing what feelings are present at the moment. There are numerous occurrences in a day, week, month, and year which all contribute to how we feel. A critical component of mindfulness is being able to see emotions and acknowledge, accept, and let them pass by. Taking note not to dwell in one feeling for too long leads to a more present state of being.
Thoughts
The mind is a vast muscle that is constantly churning and whirling with thoughts, ideas, fantasies, and so forth. Within the mind, memories, recollections, and facts are held. Thoughts are a major indicator that doctrine our actions and perspectives. When on the journey of mindfulness, take note of the thoughts that occur in the mind. Notice the self-talk, speculation, and types of thoughts that cross your mind throughout the day. When working to be mindful, it is important to still the business that occurs mentally and allow peaceful, calm, and overall neutral-positive thoughts to enter the conscious. In exchange, this feeds into our subconscious and unconscious - creating a loop of nurturing holistic outtakes. Although this is easier said than done, be patient. No structure is built overnight, so allow time to practice this.
Bodily Sensations/Reactions
Going through the day the physical form is put through countless trials and errands to make it to bed time. When one sits to practice mindfulness, looking at what bodily sensations surface is important. Evaluate what feelings arise - is there pain anywhere? How does your back feel? Soreness in any area? Taking a look at how the physical form is at any point of the day is a way to be mindful and respectful to ourselves. The body speaks - it silently indicates what it needs and which areas need attention. Take time to notice the patterns and calls the body is giving off.
Perspectives
When going through life, everyone holds their opinions about concepts and ideologies. Having a perspective pilots the actions and deeds one performs in a day. Make sure you look at your perspectives in a holistic manner to see where do they stem from. When one can find the root of their perspectives, they can assess whether or not this perspective serves them any good - or is it time to morph and evolve. Being mindful is to be present in oneself and gain clarity about the perspectives that inform the actions one undergoes.
Cultivate Mindfulness
Here are some ways in which you can cultivate mindfulness in the day to day bustle of life:
Journal
Using a prompt or free-style, one can truly be present and visualize what they experience by writing it out. Here are some prompts that can help you!
1. Write 4 things you are grateful for and why?
2. Who are 3 people in your life that have impacted you for the better?
3. Write about a time you experiences a loss, how did you overcome this?
4. Sit silently for 2 minutes, write down the top 5 thoughts that crossed your mind.
5. Do you have any fears? How do they hold you back?
- For more prompts, comment down below !
Walk
Although this is a no-brainer, taking daily walks can help one breathe easily, be present with the space around them, and simply be apart of the grand scheme of the universe.
Set Intentions
In whatever avenue or activity one pursues, go through it with intention. When intentions are set, one finds clarity and purpose with the task. This forges a connection and fosters in-the-moment ideas to form
Exercise
Be kind to your physical form, partake in a physical activity to get the blood pumping. Whether it is a run, jog, yoga, or cardio - the body will flourish with tender love and care. Take small steps everyday to incorporate movement into a systematic routine that is individualized and applicable !
Explore
Mindfulness can look different for everyone. There is no set method or way to cultivate mindfulness in daily practices. Be sure to explore all options and strategies to individualize the experience. This is a journey to be present and reside more consciously in the spaces occupied ~
With that said, live life moment to moment. Allow yourself to experience each blissful, sad, angry, and joyous moment as it arises. You are worthy of the love you expel. What are mindfulness tips that work for you? What does mindfulness mean to you? Join the conversation and comment below!
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