Article: Living Mindfully: How to Do It? 5 Tips!
Living Mindfully: How to Do It? 5 Tips!
You often hear the term "living mindfully" being thrown around. It sounds pleasant and calming, but how exactly do you go about it? In this blog, I'll provide an explanation of what living mindfully entails, what benefits it can bring, and easy ways to incorporate more mindfulness into your life.
Living Mindfully: What is it?
The name pretty much says it all: mindful living. Living mindfully as opposed to rushing through life in a routine, living without attention. Mindful living is about being in touch with yourself, your body, and the present moment. No distractions, no multitasking, just being completely aware of your feelings and actions in the moment. This is more necessary than ever because in our busy, demanding lives, we often lose the connection with ourselves, our bodies, and each other, with all the consequences that follow.
Why you should choose Mindful Living:
Stress, depression, and burnout symptoms, if we don't experience them ourselves, we probably know someone who does. And that's not surprising because as human beings, we're simply not built to be constantly "on." We are busier than ever, mobile phones and social media have become indispensable, and the pressures of work and performance are overwhelming.
In all that hustle and expectation, we lose touch with ourselves. And for sensitive creatures like us humans, this will sooner or later lead to problems.
Living mindfully with attention will help you with this because it reverses the flow. It takes you from the head to the heart. What will this yield? A lot, take a look:
- Happiness: You'll start to enjoy the little things more.
- Stress/burnout symptoms disappear: Your mind won't race as much because you're focusing on the moment. This gives you the opportunity to relax and let go of work or other stress-inducing factors.
- Peace: When you do something mindfully, you recharge and can't juggle a hundred things at once. This is a good thing because multitasking isn't very healthy for you.
- Fewer physical complaints: You reconnect with your body, so it no longer has to "scream" for attention.
- Relaxation: You relax more easily as you move away from your mind.
- You worry less: You live much more in the moment rather than in a potential future scenario.
How do you easily integrate "living mindfully" into your life? Here are 5 tips:
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Choose a moment. Start small and select a moment in the day when you aim to do something with your full attention for about 10 minutes. For example, during your lunch, be completely aware of what you're eating, how it feels, and how it tastes. Or when you're getting ready for bed: during brushing your teeth, applying your night cream, and putting on your pajamas. Do it with all the attention you have, paying attention to every detail, from how your feet feel to how smooth the cream is.
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Create a coming-home ritual. Agree with yourself to perform a small ritual when you return home. This helps you let go of the day and be aware of everything you do and feel. For instance, light a candle and some incense, then sit down. Name or write down four things you want to let go of as your day ends and let the flame symbolize burning them away. Then do the same with things you're grateful for, letting the candle's flame shed extra light and strength on them. The specific ritual isn't as important as doing it mindfully and taking a moment to acknowledge your feelings, experiences, or desires.
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Meditate. Meditation is a great way to get out of your head and be aware of what's happening within yourself. Don't make it too complicated; start with just 5 minutes. You can also find a Body Scan meditation on YouTube that you like. This can effectively help you shift from your head into your body.
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Use Post-its or inspiration cards. Providing yourself with plenty of reminders can significantly assist you in living mindfully. Place notes with questions such as: "How do I feel right now?," "What am I grateful for?," "What am I sensing in my body?," "How can I support myself in this moment?," "What do I want to let go of?," or "What am I doing right now?" These prompts will disengage you from autopilot mode and help you become more aware of the present moment or your emotions. Be creative and think of questions that will help you break free from routine or get out of your head.
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Carry a notebook with you. If you have half an hour on the train or some spare time between appointments, start taking a notebook with you and begin a Mindfulness Journal. Write down what you're grateful for, make a list of reasons why you're proud of yourself (there are always a few to find!), express your feelings—no need for them all to be pleasant or resolved. In short, give yourself 100% attention through writing. What do you feel, what would you like to let go of, or what's on your mind?
The key, as with all new things you learn, is to set the bar low. As low as possible, so you can create manageable, small steps. This way, you'll achieve small successes and get better at it over time. Allow yourself to embrace this mindful way of living because it will bring you so many benefits. And if anyone deserves that, it's you!
Love,
Timco
