Mindfulness

A wonderful lady introduced me to the concept of "Mindfulness".  I was somewhat sceptical  but once I started practising it, it was a real turning point for me.  Mindfulness is a great asset and a wonderful tool to help with the stress of life.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness refers to being "in the moment."  You are focused solely on what is happening at that point in time.  Your thoughts, your senses, every part of your being is in the moment.  Mindfulness is an activity at first, but with practice can become a way of living.

How Do I Start?

Pick one thing that you do every single day.  It could be brushing your teeth, drinking your coffee, eating a candy...  Anything really!  I started with going to sleep.  When you are doing your one thing, do not think about anything other than what you are doing.  As your mind wanders, bring it back to what you are doing.  Realize your senses...  What you taste, what you smell, what you hear, what you see, and what sensations you feel.  Think about how you feel while doing the activity.  Your mind will wander, don't get frustrated, accept it, then refocus.  

And From There?

Practice, practice, practice!  As I realized how wonderful it felt, I started incorporating it into more and more of my daily activities.  It started to become more of a way of living.  Stress flies out the window when you only worry about the one thing you are doing.  

Mindfulness is easier said then done.  I still get stressed and have to take a moment to pull myself back.  Sometimes I can't seem to pull myself out of it still.  However I do not let that bother me.  I do not judge myself, I simply remind myself.

Lots of information and techniques can be found at Psychology Today.