The Power of Practicing Mindfulness + 5 Ways to Be More Mindful Now

Each moment of your life presents a chance to be mindful. Just as you can exercise the body, the mind too can be trained and sharpened. Mindfulness begins with awareness and the practice is simple enough: pay attention.

The space of awareness created by mindfulness is pure consciousness – it’s not about judging, analyzing or picking apart – but rather, recognition of yourself as you are. It’s from this space that you can begin to see your life as a creation.

When you move through your days with conscious interaction, you become acutely aware of your actions, habits, and patterns. You then become responsible to either take action or do nothing.
 

Just as you can exercise the body, the mind too can be trained and sharpened.

 
Once you’ve had a moment of realization that catapults you into a new dimension of thinking, it may be difficult to remain in old patterns because you become aware of how those behaviors and outdated systems may limit you . . .

This is not to say that practicing mindfulness requires you to radically transform who you are, but is rather an invitation to notice yourself and how you interact with the world.

This sense of awareness gives you the opportunity to make choices that benefit you more in the long run. Here are a few examples of ways you can bring mindfulness into every moment.
 

Here Are 5 Ways to Be More Mindful That You Can Try Today:

1. Observe Your Autopilot

All of those seemingly mundane actions that you perform routinely like showering, brushing your teeth, driving or taking out the trash often pass by as unremarkable.

If you begin to connect to the sensations of these activities, focusing on the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings of these tasks, you may start to find an interesting new level of awareness in routine activity.

Make a game out of it! Try to approach these typically mundane activities with as much awareness and presence as possible, and become aware of all the new details you never noticed before.
 

2. Be Aware of Your Posture

Good posture is important for physical balance and alignment, and also your sense of self-confidence.

Try it when you’re seated: Check in with the position of your head, neck and shoulders. Sit up with your chin parallel to the ground and shoulder blades gently squeezing together.

When you’re standing: Lengthen up from the crown of your head and keep a soft bend through the knees.

Monitor the way you move. Become curious about where you hold tension in your body. Putting in the effort to improve your posture has huge payoffs.

Take Undo the Desk to support good posture

If you spend a lot of time sitting or working at a desk, yoga can help reverse those negative effects on your posture. Undo the Desk is designed to help you undo physical tension – you can take it now on YA Classes!
 

3. Consciously Arrive and Leave

When you step into a new space, interaction or day, consciously do something to mark your arrival with intention.

This can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths, saying softly to yourself I am here or performing your own ritual to signal that you have arrived in the moment with the intention of being fully present with what you are doing.

When you are leaving, say goodbye, take a deep inhale, and hold that breath in as you reflect on your encounter and as you exhale, consciously let go of any energy that isn’t yours before you move into your next engagement.
 

4. Do Things Your Future Self Will Thank You For

Begin to think of your future self as a friend who you love to spoil. Do nice things for yourself!! Take time to slowly and mindfully cook yourself a delicious meal that will taste amazing and nourish your body.

Get yourself up 30 minutes earlier to meditate and calmly ease into your day. Clean the dishes right away so you give yourself the treat of waking up to a spotless kitchen. Make the bed so you come home to fresh energy.

Leave yourself love notes that you may only find in a couple of weeks. These acts don’t need to be grandiose, but rather conscious efforts to take care of yourself in the same way that you would do for someone you love.
 

5. Listen More, Speak Less

Instead of focusing on your responses in every conversation, commit to understanding the person you are interacting with on a deeper level.

Conversations are a dance, not a battle, so be sure to give the person you’re listening to the gift of your full presence and consideration.

Notice when you want to interrupt or feel the need to be right or prove a point. Become interested in what others have to say, and you in turn become more interesting to speak to. At its root, communication is about being mindful!
 
 

Experience the Powerful Effect of Living Mindfully

When you begin to make mindfulness a part of your every day awareness, you have the opportunity to connect to a profound understanding of yourself and the world around you.

This landscape of presence allows you to look closer, feel more and deepen your relationship with everything that is.
 

Next time you find yourself spinning or overwhelmed by your thoughts or emotions, ask yourself: where is my mindfulness?

 
Through these small, actionable commitments to your consciousness and awareness, you will continue to find pieces of freedom to liberate your mind from thoughts and patterns that don’t fully align with your true self.

So the next time you find yourself spinning or overwhelmed by your thoughts or emotions, ask yourself: where is my mindfulness?

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