what is mindfulness ?

And where to begin

Mindfulness can be defined as a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment,

Mindfulness Seascape

mindfulness

Mindfulness is about being aware, which means understanding what’s happening right now while remaining non-judgemental and compassionate to self as well as others.

It’s all about finding the right balance in creating self-awareness practices and daily routines in order to create the best relationship with yourself.

It can be tough to stay mindful in our fast-paced world but being mindful helps you become more in tune of your habitual patterns of thinking and behaviours in order to be more present in your daily life.

Mindfulness isn’t just about individual wellbeing and self care, it’s also about the collective good.

This means taking some time to acknowledge your thoughts and feelings, and to give yourself and others some empathy and understanding.

Mindfulness is at the core a powerful way to be in touch with your thoughts and experiences as they are happening right now in the present moment.

Benefits of mindfulness

Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can have really positive life outcomes.

  • IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH: Mindfulness has been shown to improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also help improve focus and attention.
  • IMPROVED PHYSICAL HEALTH: Mindfulness has been shown to improve physical health by reducing blood pressure, improving sleep, and increasing immunity.
  • ENHANCED RELATIONSHIPS: Mindfulness has been shown to improve relationships by enhancing communication, empathy, and intimacy.
  • WELLBEING BOOSTED: Mindfulness has been shown to increase happiness by promoting a positive outlook on life and increasing self-awareness.
Mindfulness Meditation

what can Mindfulness do for you?

Mindfulness may be the answer for you if you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed, or maybe you’ve been struggling with staying present and grounded.

Staying connected with your emotions and feelings means you can better understand what’s going on inside of you.

By understanding you’ll be better able to control and focus on changing the negative to positive when necessary.

For me, the key has been to create a daily mindful practise.

There are a few easy things you can do.

Checking in with yourself is important. But what does that even mean ?

This simply means taking some time to notice and acknowledge your thoughts and feelings, and to give yourself and others empathy.

If you can set aside some time each day to focus on being present and aware of yourself. There are many ways to do this, but some of my favourites include things like journaling, nature walks, and of course meditation.

The important thing is to find what works for you and to make it a priority in your daily life.

If you’re not sure where to start, I would encourage you to experiment with different activities and find what brings you peace and joy.

Once you’ve found something that works for you, stick with it and watch as your mindful practise begins to transform your life

If you find yourself struggling with this, don’t worry mindfulness is a practice that can be learned and improved over time.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Lao Tzu

Getting Started With Mindfulness.

When I started my mindfulness journey meditation was just a small part of it. But it quickly became an important practise I incorporated into my daily routine.

Mindfulness and meditation rapidly became one of the most game-changing decisions of my life.

You don’t have to dive straight into mindful meditation though. I’m going to show you some simple exercises to get you started.

So just as we exercise our bodies to stay physically fit, we need to exercise our mind to keep it on top form too.

You’re new to mindfulness so it can be helpful to think of it as simply a form of mild mental training.

There’s different types of physical exercises for various parts of the body and there are also mindfulness exercises for different areas of the mind.

I’m going to share with you some easy tips on how to start your mindfulness journey so that you too can experience its incredible benefits.

mindful meditation

I definitely encourage you to try mindful meditation. It’s not a difficult technic to master and it’s just a commitment of a little time each day.

Early morning mindful meditation is one of my morning routines I look forward to most.

So there’s many different ways to meditate, but one of the simplest and the one I find the most effective is called “mindfulness of breath.”

Here are the simple steps to make this type of meditation part of your daily routine.

1. Make time to meditate:

Set aside just a time each day to practise mindfulness meditation. It doesn’t have to be for long, even 10 minutes will do. I like the early mornings.

Once you get into the habit, you can start to extend the amount of time you spend on it. But like any form of exercise, the more you do it, the better the results will be.


2. Get comfortable:

Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Don’t worry you don’t need to be in lotus position to meditate!

Just make sure you’re nice and comfortably relaxed and don’t feel the need to adjust your body position when you’re meditating.


3. Be aware of breathing:

Close your eyes and take some deep, slow breaths. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.


4. Feel your breath:

Focus on your breath and the sensations of your body as you breathe,

Notice how your chest and stomach rise and fall with each breath.

Just be aware and feel your breath as it enters and leaves your body, Don’t try to control it just enjoy the warmth and calming effects as it enters and leaves.


5. calm and centre your thoughts:

Keep concentrating on your inhalation and exhalations for a few minutes. Lose yourself in your breathing.

If your mind starts to wander, gently redirect your attention back to your breath.

Don’t try to force it – just let it happen naturally. When you’re ready, slowly open your eyes and take a few moments to notice how you feel and acknowledge that feeling of wellbeing.

Mindfulness Footprint

Regular mindful meditation

Over time, with regular practise, you will find it easier to maintain your focus and remain in the present moment.

It takes practise, but it’s so worth the effort.

By learning to focus on the present we can start to appreciate life more fully and live in the moment rather than constantly worrying about the future or dwelling on the past.

I remember at first, it was really hard for me to sit still with my thoughts and just be,I would get so lost in them that it felt like they were never-ending,

I still find some days can be harder than others.But with time and patience, I slowly started to train my mind to focus on the present moment.

Now, mindfulness is a part of my daily routine and I can’t imagine living without it.

If like me you find your mind sometimes wanders through your meditation, you may initially find it easier to visualise or focus on daily questions.

Questions to Meditate on

Meditating on your breathing is your easiest way to get started. It isn’t the only method of course. When you become a little more proficient you may try to focus and control a thought stream.

  • Whats one thing that will make today amazing?
  • What are three things you’re grateful for today?
  • What is your favourite thing about your life right now?
  • Who is someone in your life that you’re grateful for and why?
  • What are you most proud of?
  • What is something small that made your day better?
  • What is your favourite thing about yourself?

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