Every day we wake up, get dressed, go to work, come back home, do some more work, and go to sleep. This cycle continues, and we don’t even notice how we miss out on so many things. We are so busy making a living that we forget to live and enjoy being present in the moment. Practicing mindfulness and being in the present moment will make us appreciate life more and better understand ourselves.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness can be explained as the art of being present in the moment. As we rush through life, we forget the importance of stopping even for a brief moment. Practicing mindfulness helps our mind to appreciate our surroundings and be fully aware.
We’re all born with the ability to be mindful, but it gets worn and weak as we start to focus on unnecessary things and get overwhelmed by things around us. Through mindfulness, one may relieve oneself from worries of the past and anticipation of the future.
Practicing mindfulness also includes acceptance, which implies that we pay attention to our emotions and thoughts without restricting them. Meditation has a long-standing tradition that goes back to ancient cultures and civilizations. Indian history emphasizes the importance of meditation and how it can help transition an individual into a fully conscious being.
Mindfulness primarily has two main functions: consciousness and acceptance. Consciousness is the capacity to directly emphasize one’s processes and experiences, while acceptance signifies the ability to observe and accept our thoughts and emotions.
“If you’re determined to think of yourself as limited, fearful, vulnerable, or scarred by the experience, know only that you have chosen to do so. The opportunity to experience yourself differently is always available.”
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
How Do We Be More Mindful?
Though we all can be mindful, we need to practice exercises every day to improve our ability to be conscious.
Learn to notice things more often. Whenever you have time, for instance, when you’re traveling to the office or taking a walk in the park; see how things are, how people are moving, notice their expressions, notice how warm or cool the wind is, the color of the flower or the smell of cooking food when you are in a restaurant. These small observations will help you focus on the current moment, not the past or the future. When you truly embrace something, your attention is focussed, and you are mindful of what you observe.
Make it a regular habit. It is easy to practice mindfulness with other activities, such as having your lunch and making it a habit. This way, you don’t have to spend extra time practicing mindfulness, and you will learn to appreciate things more.
Try new things and explore. Try to break through your regular cycle by trying new things, meeting people, and exploring new places. This way, you will give your senses more things to notice and appreciate.
Allow the thoughts to pass. Some people find it very difficult to allow their trail of thoughts to pass by and not focus on any. Imagine your thoughts to be birds, and you are an admirer. Being mindful means that you don’t have to focus on just one bird; allow yourselves to move on and let the trails of thoughts pass.
When To Practice Mindfulness?
We can practice mindfulness at any time of the day, but one of the most preferred times to practice mindfulness or meditation is early in the morning. Starting your day with peaceful exercises helps maintain focus throughout the day, feel fresh and relaxed and have a better presence of mind. Many people also find it comforting to practice mindfulness at the end of the day; it helps them cope with negative thoughts and stress.
Mindfulness meditation involves sitting comfortably and paying attention to emotions, sensations, and your breathing patterns. Every time your thoughts take control of your mind, try to bring back your attention and try to focus again.
What Are The Benefits Of Practicing Mindfulness?
Meditation has an impact on our ability to concentrate our attention and restrict disturbing content. People who practice mindful meditation demonstrate substantially improved focus and self-awareness, which are primarily connected to brain function and sustained attention.
- Practicing mindfulness can help to relieve depression and anxiety by giving our brain rest to jumpstart. Mindfulness can also help alleviate stress by strengthening your control of emotions, leading to improved mood and enhanced ability to deal with stress.
- Health is associated with just physical fitness and requires emotional and psychological well-being, which enhances when you start practicing mindfulness. With a balanced and healthy mind, you will feel motivated and find it easier to concentrate on better things and be more enthusiastic.
- Mindfulness will help us direct our attention, improve our memory, and prepare ourselves so that we show compassion to others and ourselves.
- People who practice meditation find it easier to concentrate on a positive aspect of life and be more optimistic.
Conclusion
Mindfulness is the means to better and fuller living. When you notice small things and find happiness in small moments, you develop an appreciation for things. With mindfulness, we create the habit of self-introspection; we re-discover ourselves again and acknowledge our feelings. With a relaxed mind, you will be able to look at your life differently- with a more positive and enthusiastic outlook.
