Mindfulness
5 Simple Tips To Practice Mindfulness Every Day
Mindfulness is a way that helps in training your attention and awareness. Here we have curated some tips to practice mindfulness every day to unfold a high degree of voluntary awareness.
Mindfulness is such a skill that, once developed, can strengthen our capability to focus on what matters most to us.
There is a famous saying by Buddha which says “Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draw it. Happiness follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves.”
What Is The Purpose Of Practicing Mindfulness?
Mindfulness practice is the best way to get yourself ensured you are in tune with what’s going on in your life. Awareness about ourselves and our circumstances can boost emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, physical health as well as psychological well-being.
The problem nowadays is that we all have busy lives, and sometimes it can feel like there just isn’t time to be mindful. But mindfulness only takes a few minutes every day and can really improve your life.
According to research done by The University of California San Francisco, mindfulness is linked with lower levels of stress and anxiety as well as improved focus, attention span, memory, and also creativity.
So in today’s article, I will discuss 5 simple mindfulness practices for every day that will surely help you in improving the quality of your life.
1. Focus On Your Breathing.
The mindful breathing technique involves paying attention to your breathing. You can perform it while sitting down or lying down on your back with your eyes closed or opened.
Focus on how the air feels going into and out of your nostrils or mouth with every breath. If thoughts interrupt during the exercise, simply acknowledge them without judgment and return to focus on your breathing again. A good way to make sure you’re not doing this too long is by counting your breaths.
You can also perform yoga to make your body relaxed. It helps you to overcome your stress and anxiety by making you focus on breathing techniques.
So, if you are planning to get yourself indulged in some workout sessions, make sure to wear stretchable and lightweight athletic wear so that you can make your workout session more convenient and productive.
2. Listen To The Rhythms Of Your Heartbeats.
One of the easiest ways to get started with mindfulness meditation is to focus on your heartbeat. This can be done either by listening to it or just feeling it.
Throughout your whole day, you experience lots of emotions which include feelings of happiness and sometimes sadness as well.
So, when you listen to your heart you would be able to understand your emotions in a better way. It’s due to the fact that our heart has the capability and power to directly affect our health both mentally and physically as well.
3. Perform a Centering Workout.
When you are feeling depressed or stressed, it can be hard to focus on what is happening in the present moment.
Also if your mind is racing, it can be challenging to learn how to center yourself so that you can improve your mindfulness practice.
Fortunately, there are workouts that can help you focus on the present moment and improve your mindfulness practice. One of these exercises is called centering meditation.
What is centering exercise?
Centering meditation is a type of guided meditation that helps individuals to focus their attention on the present moment. It is a practice that brings a little bit of yoga, meditation as well as fitness into one unique physical activity.
There are various types of centering workouts that you can do, but the main focus should be on breathing, relaxation, and being in the moment.
These types of workouts are great for individuals who don’t have much time for an hour-long yoga class every day but still want to get their bodies moving.
Why do you need to perform centering exercises?
This is an incredible way to start or finish your day, or even before or after an intense workout. It will assist you to connect with yourself and become more conscious and aware of your body and mind.
I also perform these exercises and it is first thing in the morning or sometimes during lunch break which I love to do, it becomes an integral part of my day.
Also as I discussed above, if you also want to improve your health both physically and mentally by getting yourself indulged in some workout, you need to be sure that you are wearing good quality and lightweight gym workout clothes so that you can make your exercise session enjoyable.
Related: 30 Days mindfulness challenges
4. Focus On Mindfulness Eating.
Having a mindful attitude towards your eating can help you to enjoy your food more and also assist to lose weight. If you concentrate more on what you are eating (instead of paying attention to TV or youtube while eating), that will help you to digest your food properly.
Mindful eating is not just about counting calories or giving up favorite foods but it’s about becoming more aware of your relationship with food so you can make healthier choices and can enjoy your meals more.
So, one of the best ways that mindfulness can be practiced every day is through mindful eating.
When we eat mindlessly, it becomes our unconscious habit and we don’t really pay attention to what we are consuming or how it tastes.
But on the other hand when we eat mindfully, however, we pay attention to everything that goes into our mouths, I mean how the food looks like, how it smells and tastes.
5. Be a Good Listener.
It can be difficult sometimes to practice mindfulness if you are not used to it. So here are a few tips on how to become a better listener.
Focus on the other person.
When you are talking with their person, focus all your attention on them on what they are saying. This practice can help you take in information more effectively and listen more attentively.
Ask questions for clarification.
If you are not able to understand what someone is saying, ask them to clarify their statement or question. This will surely help you to understand what they mean and show that you care about what they have to say.