The Benefits of a Mindfulness Practice
In today’s fast world, we often manage competing priorities that demand our attention and can make balancing our lives feel daunting. Additionally, there are three relationships we interact with every single day - that with self, that with other, and that with the collective culture. This means that our energy ever-shifts as it ebbs and flows between our interpersonal dynamics. It also means that we may feel left with no time to slow down and be present with our bodies. Day after day passes, and before we know it, we’ve gone extended lengths of time without self-care or really experiencing ourselves. When was the last time you sat in wonderment with your own thoughts? This is where mindfulness comes in.
A common misconception, mindfulness does not necessarily equal meditation. It will look different for everyone, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. It may include things like getting a massage, taking a walk in nature, cultivating a spiritual connection, participating in a group, writing in a journal, or even savoring your food.
Essentially, practicing mindfulness is taking the time to meet yourself with intentional compassion through awareness.
Purposely focusing your attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgment. Going with the flow and moving through the moment. Putting no projection or interpretation onto your experiences. Kindly redirecting yourself back time and time again. Easier said than done; it requires one to let go and let be in order to connect with and honor themselves.
The great news is that you don’t need a ton of time to do it. Some people only have 5-10 minutes per day to commit to this type of awareness - and that’s WONDERFUL! Even breathing with deliberation can reduce stress and anxiety in just seconds. As we breathe in through our nose, let the air slowly fill our bellies, and then let it out again through our mouth, inhalation and exhalation become powerful tools to help us stay grounded and increase fulfillment in our lives. We start to understand that we have more control because we are experiencing authentic relaxation, peace, and clarity. We increase our bandwidth to no longer ruminate on things that don’t serve us. We experience more satisfaction in our relationships because we are showing up as our full selves. There is more flexibility and less emotional reactivity in our lives. Our days begin to feel not only feasible, but rewarding.
“Whether we’re seeking inner peace or global peace or a combination of the two, the way to experience it is to build on the foundation of unconditional openness to all that arises. Peace isn’t an experience free of challenges, free of rough and smooth, it’s an experience that’s expansive enough to include all that arises without feeling threatened.”
So if it works, why aren’t we doing it more? The truth is it can be incredibly difficult and even frustrating to take good care of ourselves. For some of us, it may even come more naturally to take care of others, and to do so for ourselves in the same way seems out of sight for an array of reasons. But when we don’t fill our own cup, we have nothing to pour into others. Cultivating your relationship with you is the least selfish thing you can do, because by being present and accepting yourself, you are able to do the same for others.
What does mindfulness look like to you?