How many times has it happened to you that you rush out of your door straight into your day? Without even paying attention to how would you want your day to go. You just start to lose control over you with every passing minute. When you are not mindful, you act the way others make you act (your reaction is based on their actions). You can easily pull yourself out of this rut and get free. Practicing mindfulness for some time during your day. This way you can make your days more like how you want them.
The following are some ways you can use to bring mindfulness into your day to day life:
Wake up with a purpose
Wake up with mindfulness. It is important to set the right intention before you begin your day. The intention is nothing but the underlying motivation for everything you do. When we have a set intention right in the beginning we make decisions consciously throughout the day. Additionally, with set intentions; your words, actions, and thoughts will be more compassionate and mindful. You can practice this in the following 5 ways:
- As you wake up, sit straight preferably on a chair. Keep your eyes closed and try to connect with the sensations of your body.
- Take long, deep breaths. Let it catch a rhythm. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Know the intention for the day. You can prompt yourself by asking questions about it.
- Set intention; it can be something like “today I will be kind to myself, generous towards others, stay grounded and have fun”
- Lastly, check-in with yourself throughout your day. Notice if there is a scope of you being more conscious.
Practice Mindful Eating
Eating is one of the most pleasurable things human beings can engage in. We have reduced eating to merely an activity of biting, chewing, and swallowing. Eating your daily meals mindfully can transform into a rich experience. It is when we pay full attention to our hunger we know what we are really hungry for. Try this:
- Breathe before you eat. Regardless of how busy you are, take some time out, pause, and practice active breathing. Take 10 deep breaths which allow you to be calmer before you start your meal.
- Pay attention to your body. Ask yourself how hungry you are on a scale of 1 to 10. Shift your attention entirely to your stomach. Do not think about your last meal or what time is it.
- Eat only if your hungry and as much you will enjoy eating. This will help you tune in to your real needs.
- Eat in peace. Digestion is tiring for our body, so breath and relax while you eat.
- Eat only if you love it.
Workout mindfully
Activate each and every muscle of your body and your mind. Riding cycle, weight training, dancing, or running on a treadmill. You can be mindful while doing anything you want. Instead of making it an activity of burning calories or improve the condition, make it an activity that activates every cell in your body. Shifting you from feeling busy it will make you more capable and strong. Try the following ways:
- Know your aim and be clear about it. Bring purpose to the activity you are doing. Making it more than an activity to exhaust yourself. If you are getting your bike, aim to be conscious of the breeze you will feel and the sun setting on the horizon. If you swimming embrace your strokes and the sound of water around you.
- Warm-up before you actually work out. Align your body systems to the environment and stabilize.
- Challenge yourself by improving every day, Aim for a longer distance, more repetition, or faster speed depending on what you are doing
- Spend some time to cool down, notice how your body feels.
- Take proper rest
Drive calmly
Driving can be supremely tiring and crazy especially when you live in a city. It naturally triggers the “fight and flight” response. Remember it does not have to be like that. Even the snarliest traffic can be an excellent chance to practice mindfulness. This is how you can do it:
- Take a deep breath and try to push the horizon of perspective and choices.
- Use it to introspect. Ask yourself what you need that will bring balance.
- Try and give yourself what is required.
- Try to look around when you are in a traffic jam. You will see most of the drivers around are all agitated and seemingly worked up. You have to find the one who is like you, smiling. Look at that one person and it will dissipate most of the stress at once.
- Practice active breathing again to lift your mood from the traffic. You do not realize the benefits of breathing. Simply act of staying aware of your breath can sow seeds of happiness in you.