How often has it happened to you, as in your daily life, to do certain things without realizing and paying attention to what you do?
you do not remember whether you closed the door or not
if you pass the red traffic light
- if you leave the cooking stove
AUTOPILOT
All this happens because you live an accelerated life, in which your mind is set on autopilot to facilitate your existence, to allow you to do routine things while your thoughts deal with other things. You have become a multitasking maniac that you no longer consciously make your actions and no longer appreciate and experience absolutely nothing.
The problem is that if you use this ability frequently, you will lose your connection with reality and will keep your nervous system constantly alert, without pause, negatively affecting the state of your mental health. When stressed, your mind creates thoughts and concerns, so the autopilot acts.
WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?
Contrary to autopilot, it is full attention or full consciousness, also called Mindfulness, which interrupts its action, pauses and connects in the present with acceptance and interest in what is happening. Being mindful involves directing attention to your thoughts and senses, paying attention to the details of the experiences in the present moment without changing or judging them.
In short, Mindfulness is the art of observing your physical, emotional, and mental experiences with released attention and an open and curious mind.
HOW TO INTEGRATE MINDFULNESS?
INFORMAL PRACTICE
You can use Mindfulness in your life anytime and anywhere through INFORMAL PRACTICE, paying full attention to different daily activities:
- when you walk;
- when you have a conversation with someone,
- when you are at the office;
- when you drive;
- when you eat;
- when you take a shower;
- when you wait in line for something;
- when you drink your coffee;
- when you spend time outside;
- when you clean up.
These are just a few examples, but in daily life, you can find many actions you can perform with Mindfulness by implementing the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
FORMAL PRACTICE
The second option is the FORMAL PRACTICE, which introduces meditation and yoga exercises.
MINDFULNESS BENEFITS
Now that you know what Mindfulness means and how it can be used in your life let me summarize the benefits you will enjoy implementing this lifestyle, including improving your mental, emotional, and physical state.
MENTAL LEVEL
- it helps in various specific actions such as depression, anxiety, pain, and chronic fatigue;
- increase the attention;
- it induces the gradual calm of the fluctuations of the mind;
- remove mental blockages;
- increases concentration, intuition, imagination, creativity, reflection, spontaneity;
- it offers strategies for solving problems;
- it changes the structure of the activity of the brain;
- it makes us more open and receptive to information;
EMOTIONAL LEVEL
- remove the emotional blockages;
- offers serenity, inner peace, cultivating happiness;
- discipline by giving control over life and reduce the dependence on others;
- creates a connection with ourselves through understanding our own experience, respect, and self-love;
- creates a healthy relationship with the surrounding people through empathy and emotional balance;
PHYSICAL LEVEL
- it strengthens the immune system (decreases the secretion of cortisone);
- it generates a physiological change;
- it enhances vitality;
- it regulates blood pressure;
- improve sleep quality;
- it positively influences breathing, relaxes your body (decreases the adrenaline level) and mind;
If you want to improve your quality of life by learning to eliminate stress and anxiety and live in peace and well-being, implement Mindfulness in your daily life.
THE CHALLENGE
I challenge you today to take the first step by performing the exercise below:
MINDFUL SHOWER
Most of the time, you shower or bath in a hurry. Well, this time, I propose you do things differently, in Mindfulness, to truly experience all the sensations during the shower or bath, using as many of the five senses as possible.
Feel the water that touches your skin:
How is it? Hot, cold…..
How does it make you feel? Relaxed, slightly asleep, it gives you the feeling that you are floating…
How is your breath? Easy, heavy, calm, accelerated…
- enjoy the massage that the water pressure offers you:
What sensation does it give you?
- Hear the sound of the water:
How is it? Calming, irritating
- Smell the shower gel:
What flavor does it have?
- Look at the color of the foam bubbles:
What color tones do you see?
Which color is predominant?
This simple exercise will focus your attention, but at the same time, it will positively change your mood. I hope you will relax and have fun!
If you like the article, please share your Mindfulness experience with us in the comment below.
Till next time…
Have A Mindful Life!
Diana O. Debreczeni
Founder of Dare & Be.
Contact: support@dareandbe.com
Hi Diana, interesting article you have there. Thanks for sharing this amazing topic to the public. Your information is indeed invaluable. Mindfulness is something one needs to take cognisance of, as it can help prevent one from harm, bringing the person in its present, and make it aware of everything that is happening around. I wish to see more interesting articles in your subsequent post.
Hello there,
Thank you for your appreciation, and I am glad you find my article helpful. I intend to create a series of articles on this topic, which will bring more information, various Mindfulness exercises, as well as videos about Mindfulness meditation. So stay tuned for new updates.
Great article!
Mindfulness is something that I am so passionate about which I promoted on my facebook page a few weeks ago. At this time especially when there are so many people in the world that are feeling anxious having focus and breathe is so important in our lives.
Mindfullness as you mention is so easy as it is about being in the present and paying attention to ourselves. I like that you went into talking about yoga and meditation. I start my day with Yoga and finish at night with meditation both hugely valuable to me.
Thank you for sharing.
Hello Imelda,
Pleasure to have you here, and thank you for your appreciation.
Very often, what seems easy, unfortunately turns out to be more hard to do. This is also the case with Mindfulness. Our mind can be very easily distracted, it can fly in the past or creating thoughts of the future, but the most difficult thing is to stay steady in the present.
But I am glad that you are living the experience and the benefits of being in present. Continue in the same way.
Hey Diana. Thanks for sharing this article to help me get directions on how to live a mindful life. I missed out on being mindful this morning. I was actually wondering if I turned off the kitchen light and shut door. This happens to me often. I really need to take mindfulness to heart so as to enjoy the numerous benefits. I need to savour life.
Hello MrBiizy, I am glad to see you back on my website. I appreciate it!
As I said in my article many people have an automatic lifestyle, limiting them to live their lives in true fulfillment.
Each of them should be free mentally from the past and the future, and live more present in the moment.
Hello, I really want to first appreciate your effort in putting this great website together and writing this article. i am going to start getting this really great tips engaged in all i do. i am so enlightened right now and i must really commend the template and design of your website. it is so beautiful. thanks again
Hello Benny, I appreciate your kind words. Thank you for that.
I am glad that my intention to create a well-being, relaxing and visually pleasing through my website and my articles, is recognized and valued.
This only makes me grateful, and encourage me to continue my work.
Hello Diana,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post. It really is enlightening. I will try to incorporate these principles in my endeavors.
By the way, you have one of the most beautiful websites I’ve ever seen. The graphics are almost surreal.
Good Job, and Good luck.
Sonny.
Hello Sonny, thank you very much for stopping by and for your beautiful words.You are very kind.
I wish you to become a mindful person, to enjoy the benefits that this experience will give you.
Greetings,
Diana.
I am taking WGU Academy to get collage credits, so that I can start on my degrees and in our PACA class we were taught mindfulness. It was not till then that I knew anything about it and feel in love with it. Thanks for the great article.
Hi Lori, thank you very much for stopping by and sharing your experience related to Mindfulness. Lately this concept is gaining more and more importance in our society.
Once you include it in your life, and you discover its benefits, it is very difficult to give up on it.😉
Greetings,
Diana.