2014 is the year of mindfulness and was featured in Time Magazine. Even though our ancestors of the distant past did just this for the most part, we’ve seemed to have lost this treasure. Being caught of the pressures of modern society, being mindful is happening less and less. Sure, experts have preached of its importance to our health and yet, we still haven’t gotten it as a society.[pullquote]Mindful living is about living in each moment with no judgment. [/pullquote]
I’ve talked about how meditation is a part of mindfulness. And yes, it’s only a part. Yet, it starts from being able to have no thoughts. When we put a label on something, we are essentially judging it. That’s even if we don’t think we are. I understand that we need to be able to describe an object and such. We even need to use a word to name a person. That’s fine. Except, when engaged in mindfulness, you’re dispensing with any type of label at that moment. No thoughts of the past or the future can exist in the present moment when you’re fully engaged.
Being Aware:
Being mindful is being fully awake. You will see things much more clearly. You’ll also be able to avoid certain kinds of physical dangers too. Stress and anxiety will drop as well. All in all, you’re life will become much better in many ways. Constraints will drop. The burdens of the past won’t exist and neither will the anxious thoughts of the future.
Other benefits include being more alive in the present and you’ll more likely exercise more, eat healthier and sleep better.
I’ve identified 5 ways that you can live more mindfully every single day. It may be a challenge at first. Still, they are doable and doing them is part of the process of living each day at your best.
5 Ways To Living More Mindfully Every Day:
- Turn off your smart device and turn onto the nature’s way. Go outside and enjoy a day in the sun. Don’t stop to take a picture, just be in the present moment.
- Chew your food. Don’t just eat and swallow. Chew it until it becomes a pulp. This is especially important for plant foods. You mouth produces enzymes that help start the digestive process and breaks down plants. Only thoroughly chewing your food does that happen.
- Breathe deeply. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Make sure to breathe so that your belly extends out. Your diaphragm will be fully engaged at this point. Your pulse rate will drop and so will stress. Start with tactical breathing where you breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, exhale for and count of four and hold for a count of four. Repeat as many times as necessary so that your mind and body is back in balance.
- Slow down. Whether it’s fitness, work or life…slowing down and taking in the moments is important. You don’t need to rush from one thing to another all the time. “Stop and smell the roses” should be your motto. Be more patient. I’ve done this and its helped me deal with rush hour traffic in Los Angeles. When I have an appointment to meet with a client, I tend to leave earlier than I need to. If I know I’m going to be late, then I’ll let them know. If I forget, then it’s still fine. It’s a small thing.
- Explore. People who are mindful tend to want to discover more things. It’s not that they have to. They simply want to. They want to experience more out of life. This may include physical and/or mental activities. This is one area that I love to do. It’s not about going to college to learn either. I may take a vacation and visit an tribe in the Amazon. Or visit a local city to find out how certain people live the way they do (as Jason Johnson, Craig Spivek and I did in Loma Linda, CA).
You can add to this list of mindful activities. These may include painting, writing, playing a musical instrument, laying out at the beach, going on a picnic, daydreaming and so forth. It’s up to each one of us to living a mindful life.
Cheers,
