What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness or to be mindful means to be in total awareness of our thoughts moment by moment. Paying close attention to our feelings, body sensations, and the surrounding environment through a nurturing lens.
Mindfulness involves acceptance of our thoughts without actually believing or judging them. When mindfulness is practiced it allows our thoughts to tune into the present moment rather than focusing on the past or present. Let me give you a quick example of what this might look like.
The one place I like to practice mindfulness is when I am driving. It is very easy to get caught in the ocean of your thoughts when you are doing something simple as driving, allowing yourself little focus on one thing and also sitting in silence. Have you ever had a very odd, almost self concerning thought. Let’s say we are driving and all of the sudden our brain goes “ Hey, what if the tire just falls off of the car right now?”. Now we are paranoid that the tire will fall off and we are thinking about what that would look like for us in the future, leaving the present moment behind. Being mindful of this thought would allow us to redirect it, notice that it is not a thought that serves you in that present moment and let it go on its way.
Why Should I Practice Mindfulness?
Practicing mindfulness has a variety of benefits that extend across many different settings, some you may not even think mindfulness would affect. Studies have shown that practicing being mindful, even for just a few weeks, can bring a variety of physical. physiological , and social benefits.
Here is what theses benefits might look like
- Boosted immune system and better sleep.
- Natural antidepressant and reducing stress.
- Increased ability in memory, learning, emotional regulation, and empathy.
- Mindfulness helps our brains focus much better.
- MIndfulness fosters compassion for ourselves and others.
- Enhances relationships, allowing partners to feel more relaxed and calm during conflict.
- Being mindful allows a stronger sense of self, helping individuals to act more inline with their values.
- Helps with eating patterns and obesity.
And so on..
There are so many more benefits that practicing mindfulness can produce. I am talking about lists and lists of benefits. This is why we should all be practicing mindfulness, it is actively healing parts of our brain, allowing us to function a thousand percent better.
How Do I Practice Being Mindful ?
Mindfulness can be practiced well through meditation but it is not the only way. It is about living your life like every moment really matters. Moment by moment by moment.
Here are a few key components to practicing mindfulness:
- When feeling intense emotions, pay close attention to your breathing.
- Pay attention to what you’re feeling in given moments, really notice what you’re sensing in the moment, the sights, the sounds, and the smells that ordinarily slip by without reaching your conscious awareness.
- Realize that your emotions and thoughts are fleeting, they do not define you. This can free you from negative patterns.
- Tune into your body’s physical sensations. Like how it feels to relax in your bed at night or the water hitting you in the shower.
- Take short breaks throughout the day to really be in the present moment.
One of the ways that I stop and take time to do throughout my day to help me feel most present in the moment is to feel my bones. Yes, you read that correctly. If you close your eyes and lay your hands out in front of you, really try to picture the bones in your hands and feel them. Once you get down your hands, you can then move on to your arms and neck, feeling all the bones in your body from head to toe. This really helps to remind me to be in the present moment and it brings me back to home, which is my body.
There are all kinds of ways to practice mindfulness. You just have to find what works best for you and the benefits that you can receive from doing so is absolutely worth taking time out of your day to practice. So, do the work! Always remember that no one does any of the spiritual practices because they are already where they need to be and that you are not alone in this journey. I am just one email or message away!
The Cosmic Tribe 
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