What is it?
Mindfulness is a state of awareness. Mindfulness is paying attention to your experiences moment-to-moment and being fully present. When we are present and mindful, we can bring awareness to the choices we make including how we eat, our strengths and weaknesses, satisfaction level, purpose in life, and the health of the community and nature around us.
When we pause, take a moment to be mindful, we can interrupt a habit or pattern. We can choose better on our path to wellness and good health through cultivating mindfulness.
What to do?
To cultivate mindfulness try a one of these tips:
- Find a quiet space and pay attention to your breathing
- Go outside and listen only to the sounds of nature
- Take deep breaths before going to sleep. Concentrate on the flow of air, in through your nose and out of your mouth. If your mind wanders to the concerns of the day, gently bring your awareness back to your breaths
- Create rituals of comfort: For example, before bed take a bath, put on lotion and light a candle as a way to center your mind and be in the moment
- Turn life “irritants” into a mindful moment and choose to focus on the present, not hypotheticals
- Learn to meditate