Endeavoring to be more mindful in your daily dealings is the first step towards improved physical health and mental wellbeing. However, being mindful is a learned skill that takes time and dedication to both understand and to master.
Here is what you need to know, and how to apply it to your life.
What does it mean to be mindful?
Ever heard the phrase ‘living in the moment’? This is what it means to be mindful, in a nutshell. Mindfulness refers to a person’s ability to be fully present and aware regardless of what it is that they are doing, whether they are eating a crunchy red apple or lying down on the prickly grass with the sunshine warming their skin. Mindfulness is closely related to meditation and the two have been hailed as the key to reduced stress and better health.
How to be more mindful
Seeing as though mindfulness is a learned skill, many individuals will opt to visit a school of yoga meditation, such as Gloucestershire Meditation & Mindfulness (meditationgloucestershire.co.uk). This will enable you to learn the basics of the practice and meet like-minded people who are also keen to transform the way in which they live their lives for the better.
The first step towards being more mindful is setting some time aside to practice it every day. Stop whatever you are doing and take a few minutes to pay attention to the present moment. Listen to the sounds around you, feel the object that you have in your hands, take a deep breath and take notice of the aromas within your surroundings, and appreciate the vibrant colors currently in your presence. Take in all of these aspects without judgement, all the while holding on to the sense of calm that you create in doing this.
If you notice your thoughts taking you inside and away from the present moment, gently bring yourself back time and time again. Try not to get frustrated when this happens – a wandering, active mind is part of being human. Simply be aware of when your thoughts start to steal you away, acknowledge them, and then let them go.
The effects of mindfulness
There are many incredible benefits associated with being mindful. The more that you practice being mindful, the more often you will find it taking place naturally within your daily life. You may also notice that your general disposition begins to transform and that you become a kinder, more patient, more tolerant individual.
Mindfulness assists in encouraging you to slow down your overall pace, which can go a long way towards reducing stress, which is often made worse by the constant rushing around that everyone tends to do these days. As such, you may find that mindfulness and meditation practice is all that you need to do in order to maximize and prioritize your health.
So, give it a try and dedicate yourself to mastering this mental art. Pretty soon, you will be reaping all of the aforementioned benefits and more.
