Mindfulness can sound like such a foreign concept. It doesn’t have to be. You may be practicing mindfulness without even knowing it. When you stop and listen to the rain hitting the window, that’s being mindful. Or when you smell the aroma of a fresh cup of coffee and feel the warmth of the mug in your hand, that’s being mindful. Being mindful is a component of other attributes like reflection, kindness, forgiveness, and compassion.

Byproducts of mindfulness practices include: 1) lower feelings of stress due to changes in how you respond to stress, 2) better relationships, 3) better health and concentration… plus many more benefits that cannot all fit in this post! While mindfulness has all these benefits, practicing mindfulness is about the journey not the destination.

What Is Mindfulness?

There is a really useful definition of mindfulness by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). The following is from mindful.org:

“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally,” says Kabat-Zinn. “And then sometimes I add, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.”

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn from mindful.org

I’d like to highlight the following points about this definition:

1. Awareness is what makes us conscious of our experiences. Without awareness we are unconscious.
2. We need to pay attention to whatever we are attending to (a sound, scent, emotion, the breath, etc.) with purpose.
3. The present moment is the only moment we have. The future has not happened yet and the past has already happened. The present moment is the way things are as they are in this moment. The present moment is truly a gift, and over time we find ways to use this gift wisely in ways that are meaningful and fulfilling.
4. Being non-judgmental can be difficult since we judge our experiences and place values on things all the time. We often call something “great” or “stupid” or “right” or “wrong.” There are times when being judgmental does not serve us, instead it makes us more depressed or more anxious. The key to being non-judgmental is to let go of judgments and to see things as they are. This blog post is neither good nor bad, it’s a presentation of words that contains information and ideas about mindfulness.
5. Self-understanding is an ongoing process. Sometimes you do not really understand yourself until life happens and you find yourself in a position you have never been in before. By being mindful, we come to witness and learn what we are capable of in the present moment. And that can be empowering.
6. We practice mindfulness to help us make wise decisions. Mindfulness helps us shift from reacting to things to responding to things. Sometimes we react using tunnel vision, without taking multiple aspects of a situation into account. Being mindful helps us incorporate facts and feelings when making decisions.

Why Practice Mindfulness?

Mindfulness cultivates our Observer self. When we focus on ourself as an Observer, we are able to look at things from a different perspective. It’s as if we are a little bit outside our body and mind. From the perspective of the Observer self, you see that you are not your experiences, you are just a witness to them. This allows you not to get too attached to the ups and downs of daily life.

Mindfulness helps you respond to chronic stress which helps your immune system stay strong. Chronic stress leads to inflammation which can create physical illness or exacerbate a pre-existing illness. Mindfulness exercises and meditations train your brain to become more focused and calm. A consistent mindfulness practice allows your heart to be more open, warm, and kind as patience develops.

When we take care of our stress-response system, we age better. There is an excellent infographic called, “How Mindfulness Protects You As You Get Older” by Be Independent Home Care, a home care company in Dublin, Ireland. It would take another blog post to dive into the ways mindfulness helps us age and can help us as older people. Briefly, as the infographic explains, mindfulness teaches coping skills, it improves attention and memory in older adults, and it promotes an active and healthy lifestyle.

Have you ever gotten a gut feeling about something? For new parents out there, you may find that mother’s intuition or parent’s intuition is a real thing. Mindfulness trains our sense of awareness. By tuning into our body – in a calm manner – we can clear a pathway and tap into signals that help us make decisions.

How To Develop A Daily Mindfulness Practice

If you are inclined to take some action with this information about mindfulness, here are some tips to help you on your journey.

1. Start with a small habit that you can do for 30 seconds. Here are some suggestions:
   • Focus on the inhale and exhale of your breath.
   • Mindfully stretch when you’re taking a break.
   • Hold your child mindfully and include your senses.
   • Notice and let go of your thoughts like clouds floating by.
   • Write down three things you are grateful for in that moment (journals or notepads are helpful for this).
   • Tend to a mini zen garden (see pic below).
   • Awareness of the senses is a form of mindfulness that many of us can access. What can you see, hear, taste, smell, and touch?
2. Set your intention for your practice. What is your main focus for the next 30 seconds? What are you committing to in that moment’s journey?
3. Practice. You can LEAP into developing a daily mindfulness practice.
   • Learn a few quick mindful activities.
   • Experiment and find the one that works for you.
   • Apply and practice every day.
   • Persist, even if you forget to practice one day. Try again the next day.
4. After you complete your practice, reward yourself with a gentle bow, a smile, a supportive affirmation that you believe in, or even acknowledgment for completing something you set out to do.

Hopefully you will walk away from that moment with a lighter feeling. Namaste.

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