With practice, you can cultivate a feeling of peacefulness and calmness whereas you will be less reactive and more considered. Brenda Bentley, author, integrative therapist and coach, gives ten tips to practice being mindful throughout your day.
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1. When you are showering, driving or doing any routine activity, take a moment to pause and look around. Check in with your thoughts and the way your body feels. Notice what is going on. Really engage your sensations. This will make ordinary moments that you wouldn’t remember, more memorable and extra-ordinary.
2. When someone else is talking, actively listen to everything they say as they speak and resist the temptation to contribute. If you notice your mind wanders or that you are considering a reply, just be aware of this and focus. This is active listening will help you develop more patience and compassion for others.
3. When sitting just sit. When washing the dishes, just wash the dishes. Notice how your mind wanders away from your present moment awareness. By paying attention you will notice how chatty your mind is. When you are aware of thoughts, be curious and open about them with a non-judgemental curiosity. Let the thoughts come in and go again as you focus back on the task at hand.
4. Use “see, touch, go” which simply means whenever your mind wanders from what you are doing, see where it wandered to, touch or notice the thought and go back to the tasks at hand. This will help you to be more productive and less distracted.
5. At work, for one minute each hour stop, be still and focus on your breathing. You can remember this by setting an alarm on your phone or by using a clever app you can download on your phone. This will help you to take a mental break, notice how you are feeling and just ‘be’ fully present. Your breath is an anchor for the present moment and a few deep breaths are relaxing.
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6. While you are eating, eat with purpose by doing so without distraction. Many people eat on the go or when they are multi-tasking. It’s a short period of time during your day that deserves your complete attention and your digestion and belt buckle will think you for it. By eating slowly with your full awareness you can notice all the textures, flavours, sensations and notice when your body has had enough. Studies have shown that cultures that practice mindful eating have lower trends of obesity.
7. Take time to go outside and be in nature. Distractions of modern life mean we are plugged in more than ever. So leave the phone back inside and go for a short 15 minute walk and take stock in the world around you. Studies show that daily gentle exercise increases levels of happiness and wellbeing.
8. When you experience a uncomfortable feeling like stress, anger or nervousness, take a moment and be fully present with the feeling. Observe it in your body. Where is this feeling in your body? Rate the feeling on a scale from 0-10 with 10 being the highest. Be curious about it without judging it or yourself for having it. Accept the feeling just as it is. Pretend you are observing yourself as if you were someone else and just notice it. Give yourself permission to just ‘be’ with this feeling. The feeling will diminish as you accept it. What you resist persist and what you ignore only delays.
9. Driving can be a stressful activity. Practice mindful driving by turning off the radio, slowing down to just below the speed limit, checking in with your attitude and paying attention to your surroundings. At every stop you encounter take a moment to notice your breathing and your body. Stop, take a deep breath, observe then proceed when it’s safe to do so.
10. Practice compassion at anytime. Being mindful means you are aware of thoughts, feelings and behaviours. This awareness gives you a gap between stimulus and response. This gap will allow you empowerment of choice and you can choose to be kind. Remind yourself that “Just like me, this person wants to be happy in life.” This will keep bitterness and resentments at bay and allow more peace and joy in its place.
For more information, visit www.brendabentley.co.uk
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