We Offer Wellness Atease logo & link Atease logo & link

CAN YOU LIVE MORE MINDFULLY? with Loz WOW Co-founder

Therapy

Article Image | CAN YOU LIVE MORE MINDFULLY? with Loz WOW Co-founder
Author Avatar

Ian Snowball

6 days ago | 4 views

Being ‘mindful’ and living a more ‘mindfully’ has been a bit of a buzz word over the past few years.

 

Numerous articles on how to achieve that mindful state seem to suggest we should all be walking around in a permanent state of zen!

 

But life is often far from that image portrayed in the magazines. As a result, this can have you believe you are failing when you are unable to get the kids up and out of the door … to make it on time to a 9am meeting … whilst ordering the online food shop as you won’t have time to get this done on top of the work deadlines placed upon you at work.  Namaste!

 

Let us take the pressure off ourselves – even if just for a moment.  When you think of the principle of mindfulness, it is about being in the present and living in the NOW.

 

When you compare yourself to others and to the ‘How to be Zen in Ten’ picture-perfect magazine articles, you are so far removed from this place of being present, as your mind will be creating anxiety about your perceived shortcomings as you worry about what you haven’t done and fret about what you need to do.

 

STOP … and breathe! 

 

The first step of being mindful has been taken.  You have taken that time to pause for a moment and to connect to your breath.

 

Next, ask yourself if you are safe and well in this precise moment. Is your answer yes?  Take another breath and connect to the journey of the breath as you gently inhale and exhale.

 

If you focus on your breathing, its rhythm and flow, you should hopefully start feeling calmer? 

 

At its core, the practice of mindfulness is about bringing focus to your breath; to your thoughts; the sensations in your body; your actions (for example, what you are doing); and your surroundings.

 

Once you have the awareness of your breathing pattern, start to tune in to how your body feels.  You may want to scan down through your body, just acknowledging how each part feels – no judgement; no need to force any change.

 

And what about your thoughts?  Now you are focusing on your breath and how your body feels, does your mind feel a little calmer?  It’s often the mind racing away which can create feelings of tension and anxiety.  We have thousands of thoughts every day and a lot of these thoughts can be repetitive or lean towards the negative. When we’re in this state of an overly busy mind, being mindful can be difficult.

 

Awareness also plays a big part in being mindful.  Like everything, it is a work-in-progress – the more you lean into being aware of your thoughts, your breath and your body, the easier it will be to take yourself into a state of mindfulness.

 

Now you are listening within and tuning into your body and your breath, the mind has a chance to focus on this and get some space amongst the usual avalanche of thoughts.  Feels good, right?

 

So, what if you now bring your attention outside of the body … in a mindful way that is! 

 

Start small and with something easy. 

 

For example, you brush your teeth every day, but do you ever think about what you are doing in that state of mindfulness?  Paying attention to the taste of the toothpaste … the feel of the bristles of the toothbrush against your teeth and gums … the sound of the brushing?  Most of us don’t!  Chances are, you are probably going through your tasks for the day whilst you carry out this mundane task.

 

However, what if you focused on this regular activity with a new sense of curiosity and connection?  You may find that you take more time to brush your teeth, or you become aware of areas you haven’t brushed properly? 

 

It can be eye-opening when we bring this level of focus to tasks we tend to do without thinking.  And this is just one example of mindfulness.

 

Think about all those other routine tasks you carry out each day. Driving the car, making a coffee, washing up, eating a meal – every activity you do can be done in a more mindful way.

 

Give it a go and see what you notice and how you feel.  Do you start to do things differently because you are now paying attention to what you are doing? 

 

A lovely way to explore being more mindful is when you are out walking. You may be walking the dog; popping to the shops; or you may be going on a longer walk in the countryside.  The route, reason or length of time you are walking really doesn’t matter.  What matters is the attention you give to the act of walking.  Start by finding the flow and rhythm of your breath and connecting with the breath filling your lungs.  Next, bring your attention to how your body feels as you walk.  Feel the rolling through the foot from heel to toe with each step.  Does your body feel like it is moving with ease?  Do you need to slow your pace to be able to connect more easily to your body? Explore and have fun with this new discovery of mindful walking.

 

Then, once you are in your flow, bring your attention to your surroundings.  Wherever you are, what do you see?  What do you hear?  Are you connecting to any aromas?  If you are walking in nature, you may reach to stroke the leaves of a tree, or stop to look at the vibrancy of the colours around you and to listen to the sound of the birds?

 

When we connect with ourselves in this way and especially with the world around us, we really do experience life in a much more engaged way. We are living rather than drifting through each day in a dreamlike state. 

 

So, have fun exploring the world of mindfulness - and enjoy the journey!