Mindfulness as a Lifestyle | The Power Within

Mindfulness is a way of life that makes living a lot more enjoyable and a lot less stressful. It simply means - being aware of the present moment. 

However, If I say, we're living a greater portion of our lives on an 'auto-pilot mode', would you not agree with me?

 In our everyday lives, many a times, we tend to do the things that we're supposed to do, without even being mindful of doing them.

For instance - Having your breakfast while thinking about a presentation you're about to deliver in a meeting. 

In that case, you'd probably have your breakfast without being mindful of - its taste, it's temperature, whether you actually like it or not, whether you're full or still feel hungry and so on. This is exactly what we can call, living life on an 'auto-pilot mode'. Now, that's a life that surely no one actually enjoys or would want to step into, but, somehow, we're all guilty of being 'mindfull' rather than being 'mindful' on an everyday basis. 

The good news is, transformation is possible. We all have the power within us to transform our lives, from living life on an auto-pilot mode to actually being present in the moment and being more mindful of our body, our thoughts and our surroundings. 

Mindfulness has countless positive benefits such as - 

1. It gives brighter insights and better ideas.

2. It helps with stress and anxiety.

3. It gives a sense of clarity.

4. It helps us understand how we feel and how  we experience life. 

5. It helps us develop more ease towards life.

6. Being mindful makes us more aware and alert. 

& the list goes on. 

Mindfulness as a lifestyle - 

Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment without having your mind wander to the past or the future. It involves bringing a sense of awareness as to what's happening around you and inside of you. 

Mindfulness can be applied to everything that you do, such as - eating, walking, breathing, bathing, running, sitting and so on. 

1. A Mindful Morning Routine - 

It all begins from the moment you wake up every morning. Your morning routine sets the tune for the entire day. It is important to establish a mindful morning routine and it is important to set the right intentions for the day in order to achieve what you want. Fill your mornings with a lot of positivity. Make sure you take out a few minutes just to sit and meditate. Get your thoughts, ideas and plans aligned for the day. Stay focused on your breath and start your day with gratitude in your heart.

When you're mindful about how you plan to spend the day, not only will you have a more productive day but you'll also feel more accomplished at the end of the day. 

2. Mindful Eating - 

When you sit to eat, bring a sense of awareness towards your meal. Always listen to your body and not to your thoughts, eat according to your hunger and also, eat peacefully - without any distractions from your gadgets. Be grateful for the food in your plate and eat it that way. Become aware of how it tastes - is it sweet, saur or spicy? See how it's temperature feels. Chew each bite properly before gulping it in. Mindful eating is always good for your health. 

3. A Mindful Walk - 

While you walk or stand, pay attention to where you are placing the weight of your body on yourself. Look around and embrace the nature. Soak in all the positivity. Once in a while, you must take a barefoot walk in the nature. The reason why a barefoot walk is essential is that - it allows the transfer of negatively charged electrons from the earth's surface into our body which has a lot of health benefits such as 

a. It can boost immunity.

b. It can help us sleep better.

c. It relieves anxiety and stress.

d. It helps in healing chronic pain.

e. It promotes cardiovascular health 

f. It may even help improve eyesight.

Therefore, a mindful walk in the nature is packed with a wealth of health benefits. 

4. Sitting Mindfuly - 

As you sit down on the floor or on a chair, turn inwards and feel the sensations that you have. Do you feel relaxed to be seated in this moment? Does it feel comfortable to be seated on this chair? How does your body feel? Also, become mindful of your breath, your thoughts in this moment and your surroundings. 

5. Mindful Listening -

They say, you must listen with the goal of understanding and not with an intention to respond. Listen calmly & train yourself to be a mindful listener by staying focused on the conversation, not only will it help you comprehend better but it will also help you give a more appropriate reply.

5. Accomplishing Your Tasks Mindfuly - 

As you go about your daily tasks at home, at workplace or anywhere else, do not forget to be aware of your breath. The quickest way to gain your mindfulness back is by simply taking a deep breath in followed by an exhale. This trick helps even when you find it difficult to stay mindful. 

6. A Mindful Night Routine - 

Plan a dedicated night time routine that's easy to follow and that allows you to unwind & be mindful of the present. Before you sleep, you must write down your thoughts, your tasks for the next day or anything that you wish to be reminded about the following day. Once your mind is clutter-free, you can slowly begin to unwind yourself and relax by taking a few deep breaths followed by a practice session of Yoga Nidra, also known as full body scan meditation, which helps one to be aware of their inner body sensations and helps one to turn inwards. This will also help you sleep better and wake up refreshed and rejuvenated. 

Ways To Improve Mindfulness -

1. Pranayama - We can become more aware by conciously controlling and changing our breathing patterns with anulom vilom, kapal bhati, bhramari pranayam and many more yogic breathing exercises. 

2.  Yoga - Yoga helps you to be in tune with yourself. It helps you strengthen yourself - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Yoga practice everyday can have tremendous health benefits while also helping you to be more mindful. 

3. Meditation - It helps you become aware of your body, your thoughts, your surroundings. When you sit in meditation, start by closing your eyes and paying attention to your breath. Deeper breaths help you to calm yourself and also get focused. As you try to pay attention to your breath, thoughts cross may your mind. Acknowledge each thought and let it go. Observe the present sensations in and around you. 

Even if you practice meditation for just a few minutes in a day, you'll mark a difference.

4. Gratitude towards life - An attitude of gratitude helps you embrace what you have and count on all your blessings. This can only happen when you begin to stay mindful. 

Mindfulness can be practiced anytime, anywhere and under any circumstances.

Once you begin to integrate these mindful changes in your daily life, it will almost become automatic after sometime and you'll notice that you're being more mindful of what's going on inside of you and around you more naturally, without even having to try. You have the power within you to become more mindful in order to enjoy your life to the fullest and I know you will do it for you!