Alice Law, Stress Management & Holistic Performance Coach, Reiki & Mindfulness Practitioner, has shared with us her expert understanding of how to live mindfully.
Mindfulness is the art of paying attention to what is going on in the present moment, with kindness.
But, what does that actually entail and how can we incorporate that into our day to day lives?
The concept of mindfulness is something that has really grown in trend over the past 10 years, due to its ability to decrease our stress levels and make us feel more at peace and present.
With the man who is known as the ‘Father’ of Mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zin, really bringing it to the forefront of people’s awareness, through his writing, speaking and teaching on the topic.
But it is also a word that has been thrown around a lot without the proper use of it’s true power. We hear people say that they are being ‘mindful’ of their eating, their habits, their recycling, their health. But the true art of mindfulness doesn’t lie in the awareness of things, it lies in the kindness of that awareness.
If we are being ‘mindful’ of how much we are watching TV, or what we are eating, but we are berating ourselves for having done so, or having done so poorly, then we are not going to feel calm and at ease.
If we are being mindful of our breathing and bringing our awareness back into the present moment with our breath, but we are being unkind with ourselves when our mind has wondered for a moment or when we haven’t managed to do it that day – then we are again not going to feel the full benefits of connecting to the present and our body.
When it comes to mindfulness kindness is key.
Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment with kind attention - whether that is an activity we are doing or a conversation we are having. Mindfulness is about consciously connecting with our breath & our body or noticing our surroundings fully; their colours, sounds and the magic that is constantly around us.
The present moment is a gift that mindfulness gives back to us.
We steal away that very gift from ourselves, through our constant worry of the future or rumination of the past.
When in reality the past has already gone, the future does not yet exist and the only real moment in time is the moment you sit in now, the present gift, that you have the ability to do anything with.
Yet we waste so much time of it in forwards and backwards thinking, instead of noticing with kindness what is unfolding in front of our eyes.
Mindfulness is one of our greatest tools.
A study from Harvard now shows that humans spend nearly 47% of their waking time, thinking of things outside of the present moment.
That’s nearly half your life spent not fully living it, not fully engaged in what is going on around you, unless we consciously choose to do something about it.
This is where Mindfulness becomes one of our greatest tools, to train our mind to come back to the present moment, to be engaged in the present moment and to notice what is going on around us and within us, with kindness.
So, where do we start on this mindful mountain?
Today I am going to share with you two of my top mindfulness tools, to get you started on your mindful journey and to open up your mind to the practice of it.
As when it comes to our minds, what we practice gets stronger – good or bad.
So, we first need to be mindful to start practicing the good, even in the smallest of ways.
By implementing just 5 minutes a day of Mindfulness and seeing how that can decrease our stress levels, make us feel more grounded, focused, happier and engaged in the world around us.
Tool 1: the 4 – 4 – 8 Breathing Technique
Concentrating solely on your breath and the rise and fall of your chest and stomach as you breathe in and out, noticing how the air feels in your lungs and how calmness can fall upon you as you do so.
Simply…
- Breathe in for the count of 4 through your nose
- Hold for the count of 4
- Breathe out for the count of 8 through your mouth
Repeat 3 times or more to feel your body and energy relax and to engage in the present moment
(Or ideally time yourself for 3-5 Minutes)
Tool 2: Call & Cancel
Start to become aware and mindful of your thoughts and when you are speaking to yourself in an unkind manner.
The rule to live by is if you wouldn’t say it to someone you know, love and respect, then you shouldn’t be saying it to yourself.
Start by using this technique when you catch yourself in an unkind internal conversation.
Simply…
- Notice the unkind thought
- Pause
- Take a deep breath in and out
- And state within your own mind ‘CANCEL CANCEL’
- Then choose to reframe it with a kinder thought
The more you practice this, the easier it will become for you to ‘pattern interrupt’ your unkind thoughts and the more you will notice them and be able to guide your mind back to kindness.
Mindfulness allows us to become more awake to our life, to fully be in it and to be in it with kind attention and awareness.
It’s something we can all use every day to bring us back to the present moment and to bring us back to our true selves.
Start your mindfulness journey today, with just 5 minutes of it.
As Rumi once said just ‘Let go of your mind and then be mindful. Close your ears and listen.’
Alice's membership, Calm Collective is an excellent resource for training your mind to tap into it's natural state of calm.