How to do “Mindfulness”…
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing. It is the ability to know directly what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment (1).
Practising mindfulness suggests practising the art of creating space for ourselves, space to think, space to breathe, space between ourselves and our reactions (2). Practising mindfulness can take time. Your mind will naturally wander, and your thoughts will drift, you might start to think about your to-do list or what you did this morning. The magic of mindfulness is to recognise when your mind has wandered and to consciously bring It back to the present moment. The more you do this, the easier it will become. The art is to not judge yourself. You should try not to judge yourself for the thoughts that pop up. Allow yourself to recognize the thoughts and let them pass. Notice the feeling and sensations throughout your body as the thoughts pass. After practising mindfulness, it can be a useful exercise to write down those judgemental thoughts, acknowledging them and embracing them. Try to establish where they come from, how they make you feel and whether they are fact or just fiction (3).
Mindfulness can help you in so many ways. It can help you to become more self-aware, feel calmer and less stressed, feel more able and in control of how you choose to respond to your thoughts and feelings and more importantly it can help you learn to be kinder to yourself. Mindfulness has been shown to improve psychological wellbeing, having beneficial impacts on symptoms of anxiety and has the potential to transform emotional experience (4, 5 & 6).
There are many different ways to practice being mindful, with various apps providing support and guidance. Below are just a few ways to practice mindfulness…
- Mindful eating. Pay attention to the taste, sight and textures of the food you are eating and how it makes you feel.
- Do a Body scan. Move your attention through different parts of your body, starting from your toes moving up towards your head. Focus on how your body feels and notice the relaxation and sensation of different parts of your body.
Meditation. Sit somewhere quiet, focus on your thoughts, your breath, the sensations in your body and the things you can hear around you. If your mind starts to wander, bring it back to the present moment.
