If you’re going through a rough stage in your life or just want to gain more from what the madness of fate has in store for you, then you might want to get involved in mindfulness. Unless you’ve been hiding away for the past few years, you’ll know that mindfulness has really taken off and has now become a part of everyday life. Celebrities swear by it, yogis live their lives by it, and everyday people are finding that mindfulness can really improve their happiness and their sense of wellbeing. Yet, you might have been avoiding mindfulness just as much as you’ve been avoiding those avocado lattes – because it’s just a fad, right? Well, this may change your mind…
What is it?
We guess the first question every mindfulness amateur asks is, “What is mindfulness?” The most important piece of information you could ever know about mindfulness is that it’s not a physical thing or action. You don’t have to shell out hundreds of dollars to gain it, and you don’t even have to take yourself to the park to achieve it. Instead, mindfulness is your mental capability to connect to every single moment in your life. It’s a chance for you to acknowledge and appreciate all of the good in the world, and all of the beauty and positivity that reigns supreme around you.
Although you might already think that you do that, just delve deeper into your everyday life. If you commute to work on the train, how do you spend your journey? Do you simply scroll through your phone to pass the time? Or do you take in the beautiful views out of the window and marvel at the fact that you are alive, you are breathing, and you are getting the chance to see what this wonderful world has to offer. To become truly mindful, you should always acknowledge the latter.
How do you live by it?
Of course, it’s easy to say that you have to live a mindful life, but how do you actually do it? For some people, switching out of their daily routine and appreciating their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings is difficult and often impossible to switch out of. Luckily, there are ways to live by this idea of mindfulness, and it starts by taking control of your thoughts. On a daily basis, there are thousands of thoughts running through your mind every single day. They all seem to merge into one, and they all seem to buzz and overlap each other. When you’re conscious of these thoughts, you can begin to become mindful. Your thoughts will separate from each other, and you will start to understand what you need to do, why you need to do it, and what these thoughts all mean.
Another way to embrace a mindful state of mind is to make walking a vital part of your week. These walks are not just to get your blood pumping or your body exercising, but also a chance for you to embrace this mindful state. During this walk, give more time to the things around you. What do you smell? What do you see? Can you taste the air? When you start doing this, you start to appreciate something other than yourself and the stress you can often feel. It’s also important to use this method throughout the day. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed with work, take a minute to stop, breathe, and think about why these things are getting on top of you and how you can change that.
There’s a reason why so many people swear by mindfulness – because it works! To become a truly mindful individual, it’s important to first understand what it is and how it can help, so give these tips a try.
