Mindful steps for a better life
CAN being mindful – calmly focusing your mind on the present moment – help improve your life? Our sister publication No.1 Magazine has four ways you can be more mindful.
Start small
It can feel overwhelming to think about devoting 40 minutes a day to meditation – or sometimes even 10. So don’t put yourself off before you even begin. Everyone has one minute, so start there. Commit to spending one minute every day being mindful of your breathing. Once you start it’s amazing how quickly you’ll want that to become two minutes or three or more.
Involve others
Mindfulness is not necessarily a solitary thing – it’s also about connection. There are many classes available all around the country and joining one can be fun. Or you could arrange to meditate with a friend. There are also many fun, effective mindfulness exercises suitable for you to do with your children.
Develop a habit
If you can get into a routine with your mindfulness, it helps. Picking the same time every day is a good way to do this. You can also give yourself reminders. Set an alarm on your phone or put a sticky note where you’ll see it. Try out a mindfulness app – there are many free ones around.
Everyday things
It’s good to get practice in mindfulness, to build up your mindful muscle in the same way you’d train a physical muscle, but you don’t have to always sit with your eyes closed to meditate. You could do the things you normally do – just mindfully. For example, cleaning your teeth, making a cup of coffee, walking, taking a shower, eating and definitely driving. If we all drove more mindfully, the roads would be a safer place.
Thanks to Julie Hurst, psychotherapist and director of the Work Life Balance Centre. For more details, visit worklifebalancecentre.org