Everyday Mindfulness: A real guide for real people

Everyday Mindfulness: A real guide for real people

7th May 2020

Life is so busy that it’s easy to become desensitised to what’s going on around you. Mindfulness helps you to regain your senses. It requires you to be aware of the present moment – to take more attention to your thoughts and feelings, as well as the world around you. This state of mind can take some practice but once you’re well versed in it, you will recognise great positive changes in your mental wellbeing. So, here’s some tips we’d recommend:

Enjoy all kinds of weather

There is no such thing as bad weather, just different kinds. It’s easy to forget that the planet requires all weather conditions in order to support us. As soon as you start thinking like this, you will enjoy your day a lot more. Try to embrace whatever nature has in store for you that day and never complain about weather again. After all, there’s nothing you can do about it.

Communicate with your body

Take time to pause regularly and allow your body to communicate with you. You may be surprised how much you ignore what your body is telling you throughout the day. You might be thirsty, hungry or holding tension in a specific area. Paying attention to your body is vital to your mind because they’re intrinsically connected. Checking in with yourself every thirty minutes is a great way of doing this.

Do stretches

Stretching is good for you. It helps to relieve tension, improves your mood and makes you more alert to everything that follows from it. Take time in the morning, evening or even during a break from work to do some basic stretches and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.

Take off your headphones

It’s very tempting to block off the world and put your headphones on, especially when you’re commuting to and from work. But, don’t: focus on the sounds around you instead. You might overhear a piece of conversation that inspires you, find joy in hearing the birds sing, or hear a completely random sound that pleases you – the potentials are all there waiting for you. Try to notice the regular sounds you hear every day and learn to cherish them.

Write down your thoughts

We have been using writing as a means of reflection for centuries. Take 10-15 minutes to write down any thoughts you have at that moment. You don’t need to be an amazing writer to recognise the profound effects of this exercise. It will help to clear your mind; relieving any suppressed emotions and might result in writing out a great idea that you’ve had existing subconsciously inside you.

Be free

This exercise is a little looser than the rest, but equally (if not more) important. Take a moment to listen to your impulses and then act on them. This can really manifest into many forms: you might want to scream out loud, dance around the house, walk home instead of using public transport, go to bed early, or call a friend. Let yourself be free of life’s expectations and break up your daily routine, it’s mindfulness at its purest.

The impact that mindfulness can have on your life is astounding. The constant pressures and responsibilities that are place upon you make it easy to ignore your body, your mind, and the world around you. Giving yourself time to recognise that these things are intrinsic to life and your place within it, is crucial to leading a healthy life.

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