I think it’s about time I discuss the practice of mindfulness. In about two weeks, on May 14th, 2018, a group of us are connecting, via a private facebook group, to go through 31 days of self-exploration using The B.O.L.D. Project journal. As I pray and plan for the journey, I pondered about what I could share ahead of time that would be beneficial.
I am always discussing mindfulness, as I personally attempt to live mindfully. I believe that the practice of mindfulness changed my life and helped me view and experience life with a new perspective. Therefore, I thought it would be helpful to share some information about it. So in honor of my love for mindfulness and the upcoming self-exploration journey, I wanted to discuss some benefits and ways to practice mindfulness. I should say this upfront, it is easier to understand mindfulness once you have it. With time and practice, mindfulness can become a habit and become effortless. Just stick with it, be patient, and be kind to yourself.
I define mindfulness as the ability to regulate your attention and energy on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations, WITHOUT JUDGMENT. I emphasized without judgment because the purpose of mindfulness is not to judge what you are witnessing, but to witness it objectively. Mindfulness is not about ignoring our emotions or thoughts, it is about us dealing with them and then moving on with our life.
BENEFITS OF PRACTICING MINDFULNESS
It can change how you approach who you are and what you want: Mindfulness brings attention to yourself and the things you are experiencing. As part of my self-actualizing journey, I have been able to tap into the why behind some of the feelings and thoughts I have. As a result, I have been learning what my triggers are, why it triggers me, and deciding how to better respond. Or in the alternative, what I can do to take the power away from what is triggering my reactions. During this process, I have realized my limited beliefs and some pains of the past that still need healing. Additionally, I have been able to take account of what feels good and serves me, and what does not.
Therefore, mindfulness presents opportunities for us to really dig deep within ourselves, learn new things about ourselves, figure out what our needs are, and actively connect to what’s happening around us. It not only allows you to get to know yourself, but it helps you in understanding others as well.
Support you in being more productive: Mindfulness is great for productivity because it allows you to focus your attention on what you are doing. This can help you to complete the work more quickly and effectively. When we are multitasking we tend to shift our attention from one thing to another, which causes us to expend more energy and time in completing a single task. Whereas when we practice mindfulness, we can focus and get one task done before moving on to the next.
Reduce your stress, anxiety, and depression: Much of our worry and concern is a response to us reliving our past or worrying about the future. But by consciously directing our attention to what is happening at the moment and what we are doing now, we can live and deal with life in the present. If we take the time to ensure we are not dwelling on things that bring us sadness or anxiety, we are less prone to stress. With the practice of mindfulness, you are regulating your thoughts and not allowing them to unconsciously focus on things that result in sadness, fear, or stress. When you reduce stress, you can increase your energy, increase your sleep, increase your willpower, and get the most out of everything you do.
General Health Benefits: less anxiety, more feelings of well-being, less stress, deeper relaxation, clarity, etc.
Tool to help you live in the present: living in the present is the process of consciously focusing your attention on what you are doing at the moment and giving it the proper attention.
For example, as I type this, I feel the air coming through my window, I see my green and yellow nails touching the keyboard, and I feel my fingers touching the smoothness of the keys on the computer. This is me witnessing in the present moment. I am here. I am present. I am observing.
I have noticed that being in the present moment and giving attention to what I am doing, has helped me enjoy things a lot more. Specifically, I appreciate the time, space, and ability to be actively engaged in life. Therefore, I believe that living in the present allows us to live actively, as opposed to passively.
PLUS
Deal with situations differently: when you are practicing mindfulness and conflicts arise, you can have the willpower to take the time to respond, instead of having an immediate emotional reaction. Often times, our actions and reactions are on autopilot, but when we are living mindfully, we are consciously choosing our actions.
WAYS YOU CAN PRACTICE MINDFULNESS
Meditation: I think this may be one of the most common and well-known techniques of practicing mindfulness. Meditation has been defined as any process that encompasses focusing the attention deliberately and training the mind to do that one thing. So if we think about it, a state of mindfulness is an active state of meditation.
There are many ways people practice meditation and certain things may be taken into consideration in deciding what is most effective for you. For example, finding a space, the breath, or the technique. Here you can learn more about meditation through an external link.
Self-coaching: When you find yourself angry, anxious, or some other ill feeling emotion, it is a great opportunity to practice self-coaching. In a healthy person, every mood can be explained by some underlying factor. Self-coaching is a great tool that helps with getting to know and understand yourself.
In the moment of experiencing your feelings, some questions you can ask yourself are: (1) what am I feeling right now; (2) what am I thinking right now; and (3) is this true?
You can also do the What, Why and How, questioning.
- What emotion am I feeling?
- Why am I feeling it?
- How was the emotion triggered?
When things are bothering you, you want to know what is the cause of it. If feelings like fear, anxiety, and anger are present, it is likely that a need that you believe you have, whether conscious or subconscious, is not being met. It would be great if you knew what the need was so that you can deal with it however necessary. You don’t need to judge what you discover, just let it be what it is. You are simply observing, acknowledging, and accepting.
Breathwork: This has been by far, my favorite. Every time I find myself overthinking and drifting in thought, I stop and do deep breaths. Literally, this takes as little as 1 minute of your life and gives back a major RETURN on investment. I’ve read that the effect of this has to do with an unconscious part of the brain.
Whatever the reason behind it is, it works wonders. There are different techniques for this. Feel free to google or check this article out, here. I personally just take deep breaths, sometimes as soon as I wake up and also throughout the day, as necessary.
Set time for mindfulness: As we know, habits can be built when you have a plan and time goal. With mindfulness, you can choose a specific time of the day to do things that will help you practice mindfulness, whether its meditation, yoga, or a hobby. I personally enjoy taking deep breaths in the morning and in the middle of the day. It is up to you to decide when would be best for you and how you’ll choose to engage in mindfulness. It can be done at any time of the day.
For example, you may want to do a two-minute morning or afternoon check-in where you focus on your breathing. Or maybe after work you can engage in mindful meditation. Don’t be shy to use a timer at the beginning and give yourself a certain amount of time, say 3-5 minutes. Remember, the practice of mindfulness is like exercise for your body, so as you practice you will be able to gradually improve.
Create habits around mindfulness: continuously remind yourself to be mindful of all things you engage in.
WRAP-UP
I definitely encourage the practice of mindfulness for daily living. It can change how you live your life, the decisions you make, how you view yourself, and your perspective of the world. My practice of mindfulness really opened my eyes to see that life is truly a great teacher. I don’t see the world the way I did when I first started, and my values have changed. It has allowed me to grow as an individual, both in my personal and professional life.
Deciding to make mindfulness a part of your daily life is a big decision, and it is one that will take work. It may take a significant amount of time for it to become a habit and it is ongoing WORK. It will require daily work, application, and determination. Again, it’s equivalent to exercise for the body, except it is for the mind. Mindfulness will require that you frequently and consciously redirect your attention where it needs to go. This may require a certain attitude: non-judgment, patience, a learning mindset, and openness. Regardless of what it takes for you to live mindfully, you are more than capable of making this happen for yourself.
I hope you found this article helpful. This is not an exhaustive list about the practice of mindfulness, but it’s a start.
P.S. Interested in putting your mindfulness into practice, order The B.O.L.D. Project journal, and then join us over at The B.O.L.D. Project private facebook group as we go through the journal together. We’ll talk a lot more about mindfulness, and if you have questions along the way, we can discuss.
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