Do you know what mindfulness is? Have you ever practiced mindful living? It’s easier than you think, and it’s a wonderful relaxation technique. Another benefit is that you don’t have to set aside any time to practice. Often time’s people say they don’t have time to relax or exercise. So, there is no excuse not to try.
The key to being mindful is to become aware of the present moment, and to do so without judgment. Anxiety lies in the past or the future-where you worry about something you did or said in the past, or about something that might occur in the future. When you focus on what is occurring in this specific moment in time, there is no room for anxiety.
If you are reading this, you can do so mindfully, or mindlessly. Mindlessly would be just skimming through the words as quickly as possible to see if there is anything good in this blog. To read it mindfully would be to be aware of your surroundings as you are doing so.
Take in your 5 senses. What do you see, smell, hear, touch or taste? Are you sitting in a chair? Look at the words on the page and the size of the letters. Are the letters black and the page white, or are there other colors? Are you using a laptop, tablet, phone or computer? Can you feel the cushion or hardness of the seat you are sitting on? Can you feel your hair on your shoulders or the coolness or softness of the floor beneath your feet? Are you in your kitchen, office, in your car or a restaurant? Are you aware of any smells while you are reading this blog? Do you have a taste in your mouth? Is there any background noise?
One of my favorite times to be mindful is when I am in frustrating situations-say waiting in line, waiting for a slow computer or stuck in traffic. I can choose to become frustrated and get irritable, or I can be mindful. Realistically, I can’t make the line or traffic move any faster.
There are a few ways to do this. I can be mindful of my surroundings-so I can be aware if I am sitting or standing, if there are any smells in the air, the colors of the cars around me, any sounds (cars, radio, phone). I can also focus on my breathing in the moment-the air going into my lungs and out of my lungs. As I do these things, I will relax. You will too if you give them a try. Remember, no relaxation techniques works if you just do it once, or do it rarely. The more you practice the better your will get at it.
If you want to learn more ways to incorporate mindfulness in to your everyday life give me a call at 713-304-6554.
Take care,
Debbie
