3 Approaches To Activate Mindfulness

 “The unexamined life is not worth living.” -SocratesOur lives follow the direction of where we focus. The problem is that in a busy & demanding world, it can be easy to ignore what is directing our focus.  Mindfulness is a hot topic in the health and wellness world. It can help give you the perspective to examine your life and chart your own direction.  But what exactly is mindfulness? And more importantly, how can you activate it in your own life? There are many different approaches to mindfulness, so finding the one that works best for you is key.

What is Mindfulness?

Here is how 3 experts define mindfulness

  • Mindfulness is knowing what you are experiencing while you are experiencing it. It is moment-to-moment awareness, and has the quality of being in the now. There’s a sense of freedom, of perspective, of being connected, not judging. - Guy Armstrong
  • Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way. On purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. -Jon Kabat-Zinn 
  • The attention can be placed wherever you want. It stays there and when you want to move your attention to something else you can.  -Rick Hanson

​Mindfulness is our ability to control and focus our attention.Studies show that mindfulness in meditation provides positive brain and psychological benefits.  Many employers have even seen the benefits of mindfulness exercises in the workplaceIf you’re reading this, you’re like us and are always interested in having more tools to improve your mental health. The challenge is that it can be daunting to know how to start introducing new practices into our daily lives.  That’s why we created this blog to give you 3 simple approaches to activating mindfulness. No two people are the same, so we created options for you to pick the path that works best for you.  Activate the mindfulness humans have used to find and maintain peace in their life for centuries.  Just pick one of the three approaches below. Try it for a week. Observe how it impacts your life in a journal.Please don’t put the cart before the horse with these approaches. The benefit of this kind of work is not to have the ability to CRUSH your life goals. It’s to give yourself space to be curious about yourself and connect with what makes you YOU!We’re always here to help you integrate any and all these types of practices to live your best life.  

Approach 1: Guided Meditation

It’s always helpful to have a guide when trying something new. A guide has experience with the practices and knows how to gently lead you to a place where you can grow in your ability to focus your attention.  Here are some helpful guides you might consider: 

Approach 2: Give Yoga A Try

A key to growing in mindfulness is the ability to pay attention to what is going on in our bodies. Yoga is a great way to intentionally focus on what is going on in our bodies. Don’t get hung up thinking you’ll be forced to get all twisted like a pretzel in front of a group of strangers. Yoga at its best moves the body in a dedicated way to grow in our ability to sense and control our bodies.There are so many at-home videos now available. Here is a great video to follow if you’ve never tried yoga:

Approach 3: Observe a Simple Activity

I can hear what you’re thinking … “Mindfulness can’t be that easy can it?!” Yes, it can. We spend so much time multitasking and running from one thing to the next that we often short circuit our body from being in the moment.  Next time you’re washing the dishes, sitting by a fire, or watching a family member play a sport, pay attention to the number of small things happening that often get overlooked.  Be fully and intentionally present to the moment you’re in.If you want a little more guidance on how to do this, try the 5-4-3-2-1 method of awareness.  Notice:5 things you see.4 things you can touch. 3 things you can hear. 2 things you can smell. 1 thing you can taste.  Rome wasn’t built in a day but it was built brick by brick.  Don’t try to do all three of these approaches at the same time. Pick one. Dedicate to doing it for a full week. While you do it, track what you experience.How are you feeling? How would you describe the emotions that come up? Does the approach impact the sense of control and direction you desire for your life?We’re always here to help however we can on your journey to experience that the best is yet to be! If you would like help with any of these approaches or any other mental health resources don’t hesitate to schedule a free consultation at http://plattpc.com/index.php/book-now/ 

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