Are you constantly rushing around, waking up in the morning, jumping out of bed and switching yourself to ‘go mode’ before even taking time to finish your morning coffee? You have probably been on ‘go mode’ for a long time and now you are starting to feel that something needs to change otherwise you will be heading for BURNOUT. We have all been there, the constant need to work ALL THE TIME. I have been on ‘go mode’ for the last three years as I have focused on my writing, building my business and studying. Along my journey I have learned more about mindfulness and practicing self-care and it has helped my body and mind recover and prevent burnout. If you are looking for ways to slow down and reduce your anxiety, starting a mindfulness practice can help you tune into your body. First let me explain what mindfulness is and then look at five ways to start a mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness is about learning to focus your attention in the present moment and being aware of your experience NOW rather than thinking about the past or what you THINK will happen in your future. You have probably heard of the saying, “stop and smell the roses,” and just be present with your surroundings. This pause to stop and experience the beauty in everything can help to reduce anxiety and stress. It can help us realise that there is nothing to be afraid of in the present moment as that is all that exists anyway. The past is the past, we cannot change that and the future is not really in our control so we have nothing to lose except to let go and fully experience the NOW. We can experience greater peace and freedom in our body knowing that the universe is always guiding us and we are safe.
I have been learning about mindfulness and I have included this wonderful practice in my daily routine and it has been life-changing. I hope these simple steps in starting a mindfulness practice can help you too.
Here are 5 ways that have helped me to start a mindfulness practice on my journey to live a purpose-filled life:
1. Wake up mindfully and set your intention for the day
Instead of jumping out of bed when the alarm clock rings, learn to wake up slowly. Set your alarm clock 20 minutes earlier so you have more time to stretch your body in your bed. Take a few long deep breaths and allow your body to settle into its own rhythm of breathing.
After that, think about all the positive things you have in your life and put your hand on your heart and thank the universe for all the beautiful gifts. It’s your choice if you want to do this but I find it gives me a greater connection with my body.
Finally, write your intention for the day. For example: What can I do to take better care of myself, or what small changes can I do today to help me move forward to live the life of my dreams. When you are ready, make your favourite morning drink and just enjoy the quiet moment before you start your day. Check in with yourself regularly during the day and notice how you are feeling. If you are starting to feel stressed or anxious, pause and take a deep breath to quiet the mind.
2. Mindful exercise for a healthy mind and body
While you are exercising, focus on how your body is feeling. If you are walking or running notice how your feet are moving on the ground, the gentle wind in your hair or the sweet smell of the plants and trees around you. I have found that practicing mindful yoga has helped improve flexibility, increased awareness and relaxes my mind.
Yoga improves focus in the present moment and you can become aware of your thoughts and feelings in your body. Focusing on the breath relaxes the mind and improves positive thinking. Find an exercise that you enjoy and practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness meditation can help the mind reduce negative thinking by becoming aware of your thoughts without judging yourself. Don’t try to stop your thoughts, become the observer and you will begin to notice the pattern of thinking that is holding you back in your life. Focus your attention on how your body feels, the emotions you are experiencing and always be kind to yourself.
Remind yourself daily that you are not your thoughts.
“You are not your mind.”
Eckhart tolle
3. Mindful cooking and eating
Cooking for me is an art and an opportunity to be creative and cook meals that I love. Most people try to rush and cook their meals and eat in ten minutes as if they have a train to catch. Make time to cook healthy meals from scratch and if you are on a busy schedule make sure to plan and choose to make quick but healthy meals you can enjoy.
I used to rush through my day to get everything completed on my list and leave little time for cooking. Over the last four years I have prioritised my health and my time cooking simple but healthy meals and you can too!
Here are some simple ways that have helped me to practice mindful cooking and eating:
- First remove any distractions, turn off the TV, radio and switch off all phones. This helps to focus on ONE TASK AT A TIME. Allow yourself to be present so you can focus on preparing the ingredients and notice the smell and aroma of the ingredients and spices. As you start to prepare your meal, think about how the ingredients and spices will enhance the flavour of your meal.
- Listen to the sounds of the food cooking while you continue to enjoy the aroma of different ingredients in your cooking. Think about how eating healthy food will benefit your body.
- When your cooking is almost complete, set the table with your finest plates as if expecting a guest to arrive and enjoy the meal with you. Pay attention to your thoughts, the joy that you feel to have cooked your meal with so much love and attention. Imagine all the good it will do to help heal your body and fill it with love.
- Turn on soft relaxing music and take a moment to be grateful for the food you are about to consume. Take a few deep breaths before starting to eat your meal. Eat your meal slowly while paying attention to your feelings, your senses and how the food tastes. Try not to rush as you are giving yourself the special attention you deserve to enjoy your delicious meal.
4. Mindfulness and work
In the last few years working from home I’ve found the secret that has worked very well in creating many new projects and that is to pay one hundred percent attention to one task and then move on to the next. Since developing a new career, I’ve learned that I can be more successful when paying attention to one task at a time. For example, you can have many different tasks that need to be completed during the week and you might think that multitasking can make you more efficient but actually it can make you exhausted.
If your focus is constantly moving from one task to the other you cannot stay in the present moment. The constant disruption can increase stress or lead to burnout. Instead focus on one task, plan and then move on to the next. I have found that this increases my concentration and as soon as my mind wanders and thinks about the next task I take a break, check in with myself and focus on my breath.
As soon as you find your mind wandering, refocus and ask yourself, “Are my thoughts in the past, the future or the present moment.” In this way you can bring your attention back to the present moment and the task. It takes practice but if you continue to practice mindful working, soon you can start to see the benefits of working in this way.
5. Mindfulness and journaling
One of my favourite hobbies is journaling as it can help to make sense of your thoughts and become aware of your negative thinking patterns. The great part about writing your thoughts is that you have a record of all the changes in your thought patterns over the months and years. You can make adjustments to your lifestyle if you are able to notice the negative parts of your life. Starting a journaling practice can help you to notice how you are feeling as you are writing your thoughts. You can write a short page or many pages, the choice is yours. When you are writing, stay in the moment, notice how fast or slow you are writing, pay attention to how you are feeling; are you experiencing anger, stress, boredom, regret or any other type of emotion? Let go of self-criticism and imagine that your thoughts are just unexpected visitors that have lost their way. This is your time and space to be kind to yourself without judging yourself. I don’t follow a rule book on journaling and this is just one way that has helped me work out my thinking habits. Reading your journal pages over time can help you understand more about the WHY behind your thought patterns. It is YOUR choice to find what works best for you and how often you decide to write in your journal.
Learning to practice mindfulness can help you to become aware of the triggers in your daily life and pause instead of always reacting. It can help you to be aware of thought patterns, improve mood and calm the nervous system. Practicing mindfulness has helped me to be kind to myself and realising that all we have is the present moment, that is our gift. If we take care of ourselves and experience the beauty of life in THIS moment, we can create many more beautiful moments on our journey to live a purpose-filled life.
“Realise deeply that the present moment is all you will ever have.”
eckhart tolle