Mini Mindful Moments: How to Practice Mindfulness Anywhere
Mindfulness matters! Whether you are on your break at work or relaxing in your bed, mindfulness can be practiced wherever you are. Practicing mindfulness gives you permission to fully focus on the present moment. Observe what is going on around you: the people, sounds, environment, and even your feelings. Living in the world today, it can be very hard to take a moment to be present. Everyone is focused on the next activity, watching the next video on social media, or putting in the extra hours at work to get ahead. How can we practice mindfulness when so much pulls our attention? Thankfully, many things can make up your mindfulness practice.
The first thing that may come to mind when you see the word mindfulness may be meditation, which is one great way to practice. For beginners, there are many books, guides, or videos out there on how to meditate. You might think that meditation only means sitting in silence in a serene environment, and that is one approach! But if that’s not attainable for you right now, you can try other meditation practices like reciting mantras, breathing exercises, or even listing off things you are grateful for!
Maybe you prefer a moving mindfulness practice. Taking a walk (especially outdoors) has become wildly popular, along with being present during meals. Walking and eating are everyday activities for is, and it doesn’t require ‘finding the time’ to fit it in. Instead, we can change our focus while doing these daily activities to add an extra dose of mindfulness to your day. Being mindful while having conversations with others or even driving somewhere are all possible. What’s most important is that you are aware of your thoughts and feelings, and you look at them with nonjudgement, generosity, and kindness.
If you are willing to spend time outside of your schedule to sit down and practice mindfulness, journaling can also be a great place to start. You can free write anything that comes to mind, write about something that happened and how you felt about it, or even find a guided journal prompt that resonates with you! With many journal prompt options online, you can select specific topics to focus on. You may find that you come out of a journaling session with peace and clarity.
Spending time practicing consistent mindfulness has been shown to have positive effects on health by lowering blood pressure, improving sleep quality, improving quality of life and mental health symptoms, and help pull you out of bad thoughts. With so many potential positive impacts on your life, finding mini mindful moments through your day is a great way to connect with yourself and the world around you.