How to – mindfulness practice for beginners

“Wherever you are, be totally there”- Eckhart Tolle author of The Power of Now

We hear the term mindfulness all the time. It’s thrown around in the health and wellness communities a lot. But what does it mean? And, how do you create a mindfulness practice?

I’ll begin with a story.

A couple of months ago I had begun noticing I was using the excuse, “I wasn’t thinking.” Whether my wife questioned why I forgot to do something or how I did something out of character. I was doing things without even realizing what I was doing. It was as if someone had pushed my auto-pilot button. What’s auto-pilot? Have you ever driven somewhere and couldn’t remember actually driving there? Well, that is auto-pilot, kind of scary right?

What was I doing?

I was doing things like trying to put the cinnamon in the fridge and put the almond milk in the pantry. Or walking into a room only to find I had no idea why I went in there in the first place. I even brewed old coffee into my herbal tea.

If you’ve ever experienced this it can be both eye-opening and unsettling. It’s especially disturbing if you’re over 40 like me. You may start to question whether your mind is slipping.

To tell you the truth this has nothing to do with getting older.

My solution?

Mindfulness starts with awareness. First, you have to realize you have a problem to fix it.

Last month I decided I wanted to incorporate a mindfulness practice into my days. The idea was that if I could be more present it would lead to a greater sense of purpose and happiness. Not to mention a better sense of what I was actually doing with my time.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness by definition is the ability to be present without attachment or judgment. In short, it is being aware of your thoughts and feelings without attaching to any of them in particular. Still, confused? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

The good news is mindfulness is within your grasp. We all have the ability to be mindful, it’s built into our DNA. You can breathe a sigh of relief now, you don’t have to go out and find this obscure thing called mindfulness. Instead, you will need to practice it. You see, it’s kind of hard to define it. And, the practice of being mindful is different for each of us.

Misconceptions about mindfulness

• It’s not for everyone- Not true, we can all practice mindfulness.
• It’s something you do- Not true, It is actually a lifestyle, not a single action. Sorry folks who love checklists!
• There’s no evidence to support it works. Not True, there is scientific evidence to back up the benefits of mindfulness.
• It doesn’t do anything for you- it’s woo woo. This is not true. Meditation which is one form of mindfulness sparks all kinds of creative juices.
• It’s only about your mind- Nope, it takes as much of your body as it does the mind to practice mindfulness.

You see, these above misconceptions are excuses in disguise on why we can’t be mindful. They are limiting beliefs that keep us from reaching our full potential.

Easy ways to cultivate your mindfulness practice every day

“Live your life as it really mattered”- Jon Kabat-Zinn author of Mindfulness for beginners

I read this quote and it set off an aha moment for me. It occurred to me that many of us, myself included have been living our lives like they don’t matter. Like, we don’t matter! What do I mean? Well, we wake up with no focus, stream Netflix for 8 hours, or doddle the day away. We spend our lives caught up in all the to-dos that eat away our time. We have little to show for ourselves and feel uninspired and blah.

Let’s face it, things like dishes, laundry, cleaning the house, etc. will always be there.

This is not to say that sometimes the day doesn’t call for exactly this, because it does. But if we were living as if our life matters I have a feeling we would be more selective with the way we spend our time.

Here are some great ways to cultivate mindfulness:

• Start each day with a purpose by setting an intention. This will also help you get more done because you will become more focused and organized.
• Journal. I know what you’re going to say. Everyone is always harping on journaling but that’s because it works! You’re able to get all the clutter out of your head and focus on what’s important. You also might gain a new perspective on a situation. Try this journal for inspiration.
• Take a mental break or mindful pause each day. Did you know that 95% of what we do is on auto-pilot? Take some time each day to be still and notice what comes up without attaching meaning to any of it. Make this a time of deliberate reflection. Your life will thank you.
• Limit social media time. This is a big one. Have you ever found yourself scrolling Instagram and you look up to discover 3 hours have passed? You are not alone! Social media is great if we use it constructively. If not, we can lose hours and even days to this time-waster. Not to mention we won’t feel that great. Set a time limit using your phone’s settings.
• Eat slow and think about the food you are eating. How does it taste? What does it smell, look, feel like?  This is easier said than done. Sometimes I find that I’ve devoured a whole meal without even tasting it. Needless to say, I’m working on this one.
• Get outside and observe nature. No explanation is needed.

What are the benefits of a mindfulness practice?

• The biggest benefit of mindfulness is that it reduces stress. Stress does all sorts of unwanted things to our bodies.
• Mindful meditation boosts your immunity and improves sleep.
• Increases positive emotions and reduces negative emotions.
• Changes our brains by increasing the density of gray matter. Gray matter controls learning, memory, empathy, and regulates emotions.
• Helps us to gain awareness and insight.
• We become curious, much like when we were children.
• Helps us to approach experiences with ourselves and others warmly and kindly. It enhances our relationships and affects how we see ourselves.
• Makes us more resilient.
• Fosters focus, compassion, and altruism.

How to develop mindfulness skills?

Now that you know the benefits of mindfulness, you may be asking yourself, how can I get better at being present? There are several exercises that you can do to practice. There are also many tools to help you get started.

• • • Practice mindful breathing. This is where you focus your attention on the breath and attune to its natural rhythm. You can do this on your own, but if you need a little help, I love Insight Timer. Here is a mindful breathing exercise guided by Thich Nhat Hanh.
    • Perform a body scan. This is where you tune into the physical sensations of your body. Notice what comes up without judgment. Need help, at the end of this list is a video with a guided body scan meditation.
    • The Raisin exercise. Practice for 5 minutes a day and you will notice a change.
    • Do a walking meditation. Here’s a guided one you can practice from Tara Brach. If you don’t know who she is, you’ll definitely want to discover her. I recommend reading her book on self-love, Radical Compassion.

What I’ve Learned

Mindfulness can be elusive and the journey is not linear.

Sometimes life makes it difficult to be present in a given moment. Yet, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to connect to your higher self. Or to become aware of the present moment. With small, simple steps taken each day, we can begin to live a more present life. Mindfulness is a practice, a lifestyle, and something we can work toward every day.

It doesn’t have to be hard.

Living life on auto-pilot mode is anything but mindful and a sure-fire way to miss out on your joy. Don’t you think it’s time to take back your life and find what makes you happy? Incorporate a few of the ideas from this article and you’ll be on your way to a more present and fulfilled life.

Let us know what your mindfulness practice is and if anything we talked about resonated! We love hearing from you!