Are you having trouble with being where you are? The mental chaos can be dealt with mindfulness and there are some practices that you can try at home.
Humans are a very curious beast. They want to know more, earn more, learn more, and somewhere around seeking more and more; they are missing out on what they already have. It is not easy to feel content in a busy life where everybody is running after something, whether it is a professional, personal, or financial goal. In the modern days, people have become more self-aware and prioritize their mental health in order to lead a better life and Mindfulness is one of the main ingredients for that.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a mental state or ability to be in the present rather than swelling in the past that has already happened and the future that has not happened yet. Overthinking and work pressure are the main reasons why most people are suffering from stress and anxiety these days and the growing issues are also noticeable among the young generation.
Practicing mindfulness can help a person achieve their goals faster without falling into the loopholes of procrastination and whatnot. It can help a person feel fulfilled or satisfied by being in the moment. It can help to deal with external changes and allow living a meaningful life with a strong purpose. Practicing it daily can help a person become stronger at will while regulating their mental well-being.
10 Practices of Mindfulness
- Practice Gratitude
They say ‘Thank You’ and ‘Sorry’ are just formal words and it does not matter that much than action. But these words can actually have a big impact on how you feel about others. Being grateful for the things you have does not make you weak but stronger. People who are privileged and feel entitled are mostly not satisfied with what they have and that changes their mindset of perceiving things. Gratitude can also help to keep a person grounded and humble instead of fretting about the future or rehashing the past. Being grateful creates a positive feeling inside which leads to happiness.
- Communicate with Body
The human body functions without the participation of the mind. It is not that you actively make your heart pump but it happens automatically. These bodily functions keep on going regardless of what you do and so, you do not much care about them unless you get sick enough to consult a doctor. How about trying to check in every day before making it worse? Are you holding any pain or feeling ached? Sometimes muscles in the body can hold stress and you will realize it with the abnormalities. Do you feel heavy or light? Give complete attention to your body and find out if everything is going well or not. Taking better care of your body paves the way for your mental and physical well-being.
- Pay Attention to Your Heart
Human emotions are a medium for the body to communicate with us and it is directly connected to your heart. If you are in fear or panic, you will find your heart jumping and a sad incident can make your pulse low. Checking your BP, pulse, and behavior of the heart with the adjacent emotion can help to understand where it is originating from. It is important to become more coherent with yourself for your well-being. Just like they say, ‘Listen to your heart’!
- Improve Your Five Senses
The sixth sense of humans is the conscious which is often addressed as instinct or a gut feeling that comes from inside. All the five other senses receive sensation from external sources only. You need to focus on the 5 senses of taste, smell, touch, sight, and hearing to perceive the world better. These five senses can help you stay mindful and improve your instincts with better decision-making. It is also one of the simplest ways to be in the moment. What kind of smells you are having? What can you hear right now? How does the temperature feel? These are the feelings that can help you stay in the now moment.
- Focus on Centering Exercise
We do not have restarts in real life, but we definitely need a reset sometimes. It is like taking 30 seconds or less just to get back to what you were doing in the first place. A reset can be done in many ways. While some people stand up and stretch, others like to take a deep breath and rethink the next task. It is called centering your thoughts when you find your thoughts being slipped much.
- Breathing is the Key
Breathing is the key to keeping yourself healthy. It might sound absurd but it is the truth. The yogic feats, meditation, and even physical exercises depend on your breath and when you know how to control with in every situation, it can help you keep calm throughout the whole day. Have anxious thoughts? Have a deep inhale and slow exhale and see the differences in mental uneasiness. Make sure to practice this at different hours of the day to keep yourself together.
- Thought Observation
Observation is the key to perception and that is what leads to your beliefs. Observing nature, or a water body is a hobby to many; sometimes you just need to close your eyes and observe your thoughts. What kind of thoughts you are having? How are they triggered? Observe and you will find out more about yourself.
- Eating Mindfully
Your gut is directly linked to your mind and if you are thinking with a hungry stomach, it can lead to anger. Similarly, if you are eating too many calories; it could be a coping mechanism. A good diet and healthy eating are also part of mindfulness as they can affect your gut. Give attention to your food, chew well, savor the taste, and try to eat food with balanced nutritious components. Only then, you will be able to achieve a healthy mind with a sense of satisfaction.
- Practice Active Listening
When two persons are communicating with each other, the listener starts thinking about the response even when the other person is not finished. It guides our thoughts and it is chaotic. Try to embrace active listening where you fully focus and give your attention to listening without thinking of anything else. Mindful listening can change the way you communicate and offer more satisfaction for both parties.
- Look Around and Observe the Surroundings
We have a busy life and humans are always in this rat race of survival where they cannot stop. However, sometimes you just need to stop and look around to witness the beauty of the surroundings. While the escapist mind tries to go away, an observer might notice what is already present. Do not just stay in your home and go out for a hike, trek, cycling, or even a gallery visit. Observation offers inspiration and motivation in life.
Follow the aforementioned practices suggested by the experts in order to proceed with a healthy and content life.
