What do we mean by mindfulness?

Surely, you’ve had an occurrence when you just found yourself lost looking at the clouds, and feeling a great sense of joy.

Well, this is mindfulness.

There is so much noise in the world today. Noise on your way to work, noise at home, noise from the media.

In it all, sometimes the noise blanks out the important things, and we are unable to be truly mindful. Maybe you are just flooded with work.

No doubt, you will not be functioning at 100%, since you need to get as much done in the least amount of time. You are not really thinking about what you’re doing, but you’re just doing it for the sake of it.

Not surprisingly, many people do not take the time to be mindful of anything around them.

Integrate mindfulness into things you do every day, and you’ll have the best way to enjoy more of these spontaneous sessions of joy and appreciation.

Consider these 5 as great starting points for your mindfulness journey:

 

1. Mindfulness Breathing

 

Focusing on your rhythmic breathing pattern is one of the most basic forms of mindfulness, but amazing nevertheless.

Mindful breathing is excellent for calming mental cloud or overwhelm, and helps you focus on the immediate present.

Focused deep breathing relieves anxiety from the future and past and can realign you towards your goals.

 

2. Eating Mindfully

 

Each meal is a masterpiece.

It took a highly concerted effort of preparation, cooking and presentation to deliver the finished meal. Eating should be treated as such.

 

In this short video, Jackie Bender is learning how to practice mindful eating from registered dietitian and nutritionist Johanna Richter.

Do not rush through your meal for the sake of it; instead savor each and every bite you put into your mouth. Feel the texture on your tongue, the aroma and tastes.

The brain is also better able to process the meal, and you are less likely to overeat.

 

3. Upon Waking

 

Is waking up a stressful time for you?

Does it include hitting the alarm off on your phone or clock and hurriedly dashing to the bathroom?

If so, your day has just encountered the worst possible start.

 

A little bit of mindful waking could pave the way for a great day and it just entails waking up 10 minutes or so earlier.

Upon waking from your alarm, take a few minutes to stretch and get the muscle activated.

Feel the deliberate expansion and contraction of each muscle group as it is stretched and visualize them from under your skin.

But hold on- we’re not going anywhere yet.

The next few minutes involve mentally going through what needs to be done for the day, but in an organized manner that “calms” your brain from the likely stress you are to encounter when doing said tasks.

 

Do You Prefer Video Content? Well, We Thought About It…

Enjoy Below a Short Video of This Article!

 

 

4. Walking

 

Walking can be one of the most relaxing exercises you can do, both mentally and physically, but sadly it’s just another way of hurriedly getting from one place to another for most people.

However, walking outside could be a surreal experience for the senses, from the feel of a cool breeze on your skin, to the serene rustling of leaves on trees or the fresh smell of spring or crispy tinge of autumn.

 

This video will show you the adventure of going for walks in the outdoors, the beauty of the landscapes and the sound of birds.

There are so many things to experience when walking, all it takes is some mindful focus.

Seriously, all it takes is a half an hour walk through a park.

Not only will you feel significantly better but also you can actually alter your brain structure and function helping you remember information for a test or avoid developing degenerative memory brain conditions.

 

5. Having Deep Conversations

 

When last can you honestly say that you had a real conversation– eye to eye, visualizing the movement of lips as the person speaks, and free from distraction of a smart phone, PC or Television?

A very long time if you’re telling the truth.

 

However, having a real conversation is an example of mindful listening.

Spending time with friends and family and engaging in stimulating conversation supports overall brain health and promotes mental wellness.

You are able to understand what that person is trying to convey without them finishing a conversation, because you are being mindful of cues they may be giving off.

This is an excellent exercise for strengthening relationships.

 

Unleash Your Brain Power for a Healthy Lifestyle. Download this pdf with

“50 Tips For Ultimate Brain Health”

 

Conclusion

 

You can include mindfulness in any number of daily tasks.

The key is to truly put your attention into it, and understand the moment.

With a greater appreciation for things, you become more mindful of the world around you.

Mindfulness helps reduce stress, keeps you in the moment, and gets rid of that awful worry that is generated that focusing on the future.

So, are you ready to “seize the moment”?

 

 

Irinel Bogdan