4 Simple Ways You Can Practise Mindfulness to Improve Your Life

In today’s busy world, we all face many pressures and challenges. Maintaining work, family, financial and personal happiness is a delicate balancing act. Sometimes the scales tip, your mind gets confused, or you feel stress reduction. 

Juggling all of life’s responsibilities can sometimes seem like a daunting task, but there are some proven tips to make it easier. One of the most common and effective self-care practices you may be familiar with is mindfulness. But what exactly is it and how can you incorporate it into your busy life? 

What is Mindfulness:

Mindfulness is the state of being aware or aware of something. Just defined. The purpose of your meditation is up to you, but most mindfulness practices begin by bringing awareness to the present moment. There are many different ways to practise mindfulness. Here are some great starting points to get you started right away. 

Use your senses:

Using your five senses is a great technique for becoming aware of your surroundings and focusing on the present moment. Look around where you are. Think about five things you can see. What colours, textures and shapes do you see in the objects around you? You may be in a crowded place – try to hear as many different sounds as possible. 

Are there things nearby that you can touch and notice different sensations with your fingers or hands 33 Immerse yourself in the smell and taste of the food or drink you are enjoying. Be fully present through your senses. Congratulations on completing your mindfulness practice. 

By using your  senses and grounding yourself in the present moment, you can focus on your current surroundings and this method is great for reducing anxious thoughts.

Pay attention to your breathing:

Paying attention to your breathing is another simple way to become more present and aware. Fortunately, humans have many automatic bodily functions, including breathing, but being aware of your breathing can go a long way to reducing stress. 

Obviously, you don’t need to consciously tell yourself to breathe in and out every time you breathe (it hurts), but breathing meditation can help you become more aware of your breathing. But it happens. There are hundreds of different exercises you can try for specific repetitions, techniques like inhaling, exhaling, and holding the breath. 

A simple exercise you can start right now is called box breathing. First of all, inhale for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 4 seconds and exhale for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds and repeat the cycle while breathing again. 

Try taking  deep abdominal breaths and notice how you feel after a few repetitions of these deep breaths. Just a minute or two of deep, conscious breathing can help bring your heart rate closer to a more stable baseline and clear your mind. 

Do a body scan:

This is another exercise you can do anytime, anywhere when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Body scan can help you connect with your body and stay grounded despite difficult circumstances. 

Instead of using your five senses to observe your environment, focus your attention on each part of your body. Start at the top of your head or the tips of your toes. Slowly move your body up and down, paying mental attention to how you feel in each specific area.

Extend your arms and legs to release tension in your jaw. We often store pent-up energy in different parts of our body, so once you notice the imbalance and reset it, you’ll feel much better mentally and physically. 

Try meditation:

It may seem difficult, but meditation can be as short and sweet as you like. You don’t have to be a spiritual master to develop a solid meditation practice. The goal here is to be able to focus on the present moment and observe your thoughts non-judgmentally. 

There are many guided meditation apps available and YouTube has many free resources Click on one and follow the instructions or sit quietly. You can refocus on your breath, or you can sit quietly and repeat a mantra in your mind. 

Starting your morning with a quick 10-minute meditation will set you up for success for the rest of your day. Meditation can help you gain a new perspective on stressful situations, increase your patience, and reduce your reactions.

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