Staying Present with Mindfulness
If you’ve found yourself living in the worry of the future or stuck in the pain of the past, it may be time to begin the practice of mindfulness to ground yourself back to the present. Maybe you’ve heard this word “mindfulness” thrown around and aren’t really sure if that’s for you. I’m going to break down what mindfulness is, how mindfulness can be helpful, and some quick mindfulness skills that you can try out for yourself. It can be really difficult to stay in the present, especially when the world feels chaotic or overwhelming - mindfulness is a tool to help you get one step closer to grounding yourself in the here and now.
What is Mindfulness?
Simply, mindfulness is to notice the present. Practicing mindfulness is a technique that can be broken down into two parts: awareness and acceptance. You first start by being aware of what is happening inside of you and around you. You may notice thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and your physical surroundings. You can name these things just as they are, existing in the present. Once you start to become more aware of what is happening within you and around you, the next step is to extend acceptance to what you are noticing. You aren’t judging or trying to change what you notice, but rather unconditionally accept what you notice. For example, you may say “I notice a feeling of anxiety in my stomach” and instead of reacting with a response to change this feeling, you will continue to notice and accept what you are experiencing.
Awareness and acceptance during a mindfulness practice will help your thoughts and emotions process through your body in a more natural way.
What are the Benefits of Mindfulness?
Practicing mindfulness in your own life can help reduce unwanted symptoms. Mindfulness has been shown to decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve your memory and focus, improve your ability to adapt to stress, increase your ability to manage emotions, reduce dwelling on thoughts or emotions, increase ability to manage trauma responses, and increase overall satisfaction and wellbeing. You may find using mindfulness to be helpful when you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or stuck. For me, I sometimes feel lost “in my head” and mindfulness helps me focus back to my present reality. I will experience a decrease in tension in my body and an increase in feelings of contentment. You may discover other benefits as you start to implement mindfulness into your daily routine.
What Are Mindfulness Exercises?
A mindfulness exercise is just a way in which you choose to practice mindfulness. There are tons of mindfulness exercises that you can try and see which ones work best for you. Here are a few of my favorite mindfulness exercises to get you started:
Five Senses
Use your five senses to notice your environment. Identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch/feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Your senses live in the present, so tapping into your senses is a quick and easy way to orient yourself to the present.
Body Scan
Begin scanning any body sensations you feel, starting with your feet and move your way up your body to the top of your head. Give attention to each part of your body for 30 seconds to 1 minute, noticing any sensations you are currently experiencing and allowing them to exist without judgment.
Mindfulness Meditation
Allow yourself to get in a comfortable position, and begin to focus on your breathing. You can do a guided meditation, or simply focus on your breathing for a set amount of time. When thoughts come up during this exercise, notice them without judgment and then return your attention to your breathing.
You can try one of these mindfulness activities, or find another option here: 5 Simple Mindfulness Practices for Daily Life. I find it helpful to start with something small and work your way up to more in-depth practices.
You can start taking some control back in your life and experience the contentment that comes with being present.