Mindfulness photo by Rob Vena

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Mindfulness: A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

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Being mindful may very well be the best way to find balance in your life. When you are mindful, you live in the present moment and can enjoy life as it unfolds before you.

Although mindfulness is often associated with meditation, there are other ways for you to be mindful in everyday life:

Just Stop: Take time every now to stop and smell the roses. Stop whatever you are doing, look around, and simply enjoy the moment.

Be Childlike in Nature: The world is filled with wonders. But, for some reason, we fail to recognize those wonders as we grow older and busier with  our daily lives. Try to experience life through the eyes of a child. What did you love to do when you were a child? What was your favorite pastime? What did you want to be when you grew up? How close have you come to being who you really want to be? Make time to do those things you love and bask in the magic of the moment!

Be Mindful of What You Say: Our words can have magical powers. But, they can have the power of ‘white magic’ or ‘black magic’. They can be healing or harmful. You should think before you speak. Be mindful of your words, and remember; Once you’ve said it, you can’t take it back!

Mindful Meals: The next time you sit down for a meal, think about every bite and try to thoroughly enjoy it. Turn off the TV, put down the cellphone, and just try to be present in the moment and enjoy the meal and company you are with.

Mindful Breathing: Stop for a moment and pay attention to your breathing. Are you breathing properly? Is your breathing too shallow, too fast, too slow? Are you taking in enough oxygen? Or, are you so stressed-out that your chest and lungs are constricted and tight? Take a deep breath and fill your lungs with fresh air, and when you exhale, imagine you are cleansing yourself of all the toxins and impurities that have built-up in your system over over a lifetime. Try this exercise when you get into bed at night; Lie on your back, place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. As you inhale and exhale, the hand on your belly should rise and fall, not the hand on your chest. This is proper breathing.

Pay Attention to the Most Boring & Ordinary Tasks: We get so caught up in our daily routines. We tend to operate on autopilot when performing everyday tasks such as brushing our teeth, doing the dishes, driving, standing in line, or taking a shower. Try to be mindful of the world around you while performing these activities and don’t be locked into your own thoughts or daydreams all the time.

Break Routines: It can be difficult to be mindful when you do the same things day after day. Try breaking your routines every now and then. Try something new. Take a different route to work or stop off in a different coffee shop tomorrow. Say good morning to that person you pass on the street every day. Remember, change is good. To change is to evolve. To remain the same is to stagnate. There is always something new and exciting to see and be mindful of when you make changes in your life.

Mindful Meditation: Try to find 20 minutes for mindful meditation each day. Find one spot and make it your daily meditation space. Make it your sacred spot… your shrine. Sit or lie down comfortably and start by following your breath. Just focus on your breathing… on the way it feels as it enters your nose and lungs, and then back out again. Each time your mind wanders (and it will wander!), reel it back in by returning to the breath. Remember, meditation is a practice. And, it is not easy for anyone. Just keep trying, and you will soon reap the benefits of mindfulness.