‘Being present’ and ‘mindfulness’ are major buzzwords in self-improvement these days. And not without reason. Have you ever noticed how many things in a day you do automatically, with your mind wandering or elsewhere? We get dressed, we drive, we interact with our partners, eat, etc. all while thinking about something or someone else. We live so much of our lives on auto-pilot.
I know there are many definitions of mindfulness out there, some of them are lengthy and perhaps confusing, some make the practice seem complicated. It really doesn’t have to be. There is no right or wrong way to do it, and you have all the tools already inside of you.
Mindfulness is simply, paying attention on purpose to the present moment.
Practicing mindfulness allows us to slow down our racing thoughts and focus on only one thing at a time. You’re not clearing your mind or suppressing your thoughts. Rather, you are focusing your mind right here, right now and learning to accept your thoughts without judgment.
Here are a few quick, easy and fun mindfulness activities to get you started. Play around with them, see which ones work for you. As you’re going through these actions, listen to your breath and focus on the task at hand. Pay attention to your surroundings and when your mind wanders(which it will), bring it back to the present, noting the things that you can hear, see, and feel.
• Take a deep breath.
• Show yourself compassion.
• Write in a journal.
• Stand in the sunshine.
• Move your body.
• Take a walk.
• Make a gratitude list.
If you have any one minute mindfulness exercises you would like to share, I'd Love to hear them! xox GS
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