5 ways to practice mindfulness daily

Mindfulness is quite a buzzword right now. These days, people give advice about anything and they just put mindfulness on it. BUT!!!!! Don’t think that mindfulness is unworthy. It’s definitely worth 100% of your time. We all know how important it is for us to slow down and be more present in our day-to-day lives, but we just forget about being mindful on a regular basis.

In this blog, you will discover what mindfulness is, what are the benefits of practicing mindfulness and how to do it simply in daily basis.

What is mindfulness

Mindfulness is a simple, yet very powerful practice of training your attention. It’s simply focusing your awareness on the here and now (sensations, thoughts, and emotions) in an accepting way. It’s powerful because it can stop your habit of getting lost in your thoughts, which often generates more stress on top of the real pressures of everyday life.

Why to practice mindfulness

Being present in the moment is very empowering. It’s about embracing each moment of the day and not worrying about what tomorrow will be. Living in the present moment can lead you to big life transformation. Over the past years, academic research in the fields of neuroscience, psychology and physical medicine have reported the wide-ranging benefits of mindfulness. With practice, mindfulness can help you on healing your stress that undermines your health, performance and quality of life, and can provide your sensation of relaxation.

Some of the benefits:

• Your stress & anxiety levels will decrease

• You will be able to relax easier

• You will be able to regulate your emotions

• You will experience moments with clarity

What does mindfulness look like in your daily life

People spend their days not fully aware of what they’re doing and thinking. They live on autopilot and go through their routines without noticing what they’re doing unless they arrive to an extreme point in their life. Mindfulness can be developed by noticing things with clarity and using this awareness to be more intentional with your actions.

How to practice mindfulness

#1 - Savor your mornings In the morning with your cup of tea or coffee, and with your breakfast try to take a minute to appreciate the smell, the taste, the sounds. Appreciate your morning cup without distractions and totally(!) avoid to multitask so you can start your day slower and with more intention. Leave all the emails and responsibilities aside, dedicate your breakfast time to you and the small things around you. #2 - Eat without distractions Something that can make a huge difference in your state of mind is to eat without distractions (this can help also your relationship with food). Plus, try to leave your phone in another room while you take your lunch or dinner and focus on what you’re eating, what you’re tasting, what you’re feeling.

#3 - Take a walk Walks are the cure for many anxieties you may experience. But in order to get the most out of this time, you have to leave the phone at home. Even though you love listening to music while walking, you can feel tempted to check your phone. Go for a walk and listen to the birds, look up at the sky, observe every detail, smell the odors, observe the people around you, and let yourself be content with the way things are. #4 - Take A Bath Dedicate one day every week to self care and treat yourself to a bath along with any other activity you enjoy the most (i.e. skincare, massage, use of essential oils). It’s one of the best ways to get away from everything and focus now and here to the warmth of the water, the smells, the quietness, the lack of distractions.

#5 - Reflect on your day In the evening, your mind is overloaded after spending the whole day rushing around. To be more present and prepare yourself for quality sleep, try to relax after work with ways that don’t involve any electronic device and social media. You can start an evening routine that helps you wind down and stop thinking about what happened or will happen. Light a candle and spend 5-10 minutes writing on your Mindfulness Guide. This way, you can reflect on what happened during the day and it gives you time to think about what you’re grateful for. When you’re writing about your day and your thoughts, try not to think about what went wrong or what it needs to happen tomorrow.

Give yourself the time to focus on what you feel and look at the things that made you laugh, inspired you, or piqued your curiosity. And write down, write those things down because those are often the parts of life that you will forget first!