What is mindfulness?

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Mindfulness. It’s a word you've probably heard a lot of in recent years, whether that be from friends, self-help books or social media.

but what does mindfulness really mean?

and more importantly, how can you practice it?

To understand mindfulness, lets first talk about mindlessness.

Now this is a feeling all too familiar when we slip into autopilot and our body takes the reigns while our mind travels elsewhere.

Driving is a perfect example of this. How often do you arrive at work or the shops only to realise you've made the trip completely on auto pilot? Instead of focusing on the world around you, your mind was filled with mindless chatter, jumping between thoughts of the past and apprehension for the future. Ignoring the present entirely.

Or how many hours have you spent scrolling through your phone or on your computer, completely oblivious to your surroundings? Not noticing the change from day to night or wait... when did it start raining?

Mindlessness has become a common aspect of present-day reality thanks to the fast pace nature of our lives and the endless stream of distractions sustained by social media, our phones, Tv’s and computers. Today’s context has made practicing mindfulness hard. But not all hope is lost!

There’s a whole range of techniques that you can use to flex that mindfulness muscle. But before we get to that…

What actually is mindfulness? Well, simply put it’s focusing your attention on the moment you find yourself in. Shifting your attention to your current experiences and becoming a more present and active participant in your own thoughts rather than a passive bystander. When our attention is on the here and now we are able to let go of worry and relax.

Now for those techniques I mentioned!

A great way to centre your attention on the present is through your senses. What can you feel on your skin? The sensation of the fabric of your clothes, the warmth of your coffee cup in your hands. What can you smell? What can you hear and see? Really taking in your surroundings and noticing the little things you’d usually overlook can slow your mind and help you to relax.

Similarly, you can pay attention to your breathing. Observe yourself as you inhale and exhale, noting the rise and fall of your chest.

Now your mind will want to wander and that’s okay! Just recognise those straying thoughts and bring yourself back to the present. The more you do this, the easier it will become.

Observing your emotions is also a big part of being mindful. Allowing yourself to feel whatever it is you feel in the moment without judgement. Practicing self-awareness of how you feel can also help you to recognise why you might be feeling a certain way. But don’t stress about having to dissect and understand your emotions straight away. Just letting yourself experience them is enough.

The great thing about mindfulness is that it’s accessible to you whenever you need it and can be done however works for you. Whether that be by incorporating it in your everyday routines or by partaking in mindful activities like journaling or meditation.

Give it a go and see what living a more mindful life can do for you!