Hey friend, have you stopped for a little mindfulness yet today? Mindful-what? Mindfulness! Whatever you’re doing, slow down with us for just a minute. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Take in your surroundings and appreciate all the things you hear, feel, or think. Now come back to us! Nice, isn’t it?

What is mindfulness?

In its most simple form, mindfulness is just being present. You take time to pause and appreciate all that’s in front of you. It’s self care by stopping to smell the roses, literally! Although it can seem like an unattainable or out of reach practice, mindfulness is very simple. By being mindful we are aware of our thoughts and accept them without judgment. There’s no correct way to feel, we are just in tune with ourselves in the present moment.   

Why should I practice mindfulness?

Mindfulness has remarkable impacts on your overall health and wellness. It has been proven to help regulate emotions, improve brain function, lower stress levels, and more. Imagine taking a short amount of time each day for yourself to just be present and feeling better because you did. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Practicing mindfulness for just a small amount of time each day can have a big impact on your life. 

How do I do it?

Practicing mindfulness is not an exact science and can be done in a multitude of ways. It can happen whenever you feel compelled to do so and last as long as you’d like. Ready to get started? Here are a few simple steps to get you on the right path:

-Find a comfortable place to sit
-Set your time frame (or don’t if you feel up for a challenge)
-Scan your body and your brain- how are you feeling physically and emotionally?
-Breathe
-Bring your mind back to the present when it wanders. 
-Enjoy

Our minds will wander and that’s okay. We may have trouble focusing but that’s okay too! A practice is called a practice because it takes work. Your mindfulness work will not be perfect but it will improve every time you practice. Embrace allowing the chaos of life to continue without you for a few moments while you just pause.

Where can I get some help with my practice?

 If you’re having trouble focusing, you’re short on time, or you’re physically uncomfortable there are a number of tools to help with your practice. A favorite of ours is to take five minutes with your five senses. Each minute of your practice is focused on a different one of your senses. You can complete them in any order you’d like and you may even find one sense you’d like to spend more time on than the others. As you progress through your practice ask yourself questions like “What colors do I see?”, “What smells are around me?”, “What sounds am I hearing?” to focus your mind and stay present. 

Want to learn more? Check out our mindfulness workbook to guide you through your mindfulness exploration with more information on mindfulness, tools to get you started, and techniques to further your practice. Get your copy here!