Getting Started with Mindfulness

April 18, 2023

If you are interested in living an extraordinary life, you've probably heard of mindfulness as a way to add a little more peace, focus, and presence to your day to day life. 

Like me, you might have heard the word and agreed with the idea, but (ironically enough) either never had the time to really look into it, or thought that you were already a pretty mindful person.

Well, whether you've managed the time or are looking to simply enhance your mindfulness, this post is for you.

What Exactly is Mindfulness?

So, what exactly is mindfulness, you might ask? 

It's a state of being fully present and engaged in the moment, without judgment or distraction. 

Mindfulness is all about tuning in to your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings in a non-judgmental way and with an open mind.

Nowadays, mindfulness gets overused as a trendy buzzword, but its roots actually go back thousands of years to ancient Eastern practices like Buddhism and Taoism. 

This concept was first introduced to the Western world in the 1970s by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who developed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program.

So mindfulness isn't a new thing. It was popular thousands of years ago, as well as the 1970s, so there is definitely something important to learn and apply to modern-day life. 

The world we live in is, to put it bluntly "anti-mindfulness." Almost as soon as you wake up, you get bombarded by more and more easily accessible distractions, stress, and anxiety, which makes it way too easy to lose sight of what's truly important. 

*Little note here: a lot of the lost concepts of mindfulness have become normalized in modern day culture and society (especially in America). Just think about how normalized it's become to opt for fast food and vegging out in front of a TV for dinner, instead of the whole family sitting down for a meal.

Practicing mindfulness can help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, which improves focus and productivity, reduces stress and anxiety, and can even help you improve your relationships. 

Not to mention, mindfulness is simple and free for everyone to try.

Understanding Mindfulness

If you feel like you're a pretty mindful person, or are still on the fence about whether or not it's for you, check out these characteristics and benefits that come with this practice.

Characteristics of Mindfulness

At its core, mindfulness is all about being present, non-judgmental, and accepting of our thoughts and feelings. (Which, I don't know about you, but I could use a bit of practice in this area.)

Present moment awareness: Mindfulness involves paying attention to what's happening in the present moment, without getting caught up in thoughts about the past or future.

Non-judgment: Rather than judging our thoughts or feelings, mindfulness encourages us to observe them with curiosity and acceptance.

Acceptance: Mindfulness involves accepting things as they are, rather than trying to change or control them.

Focus: By practicing mindfulness, we can improve our ability to focus our attention and avoid distractions.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Reduced stress and anxiety: Mindfulness can help us to better manage stress and reduce feelings of anxiety. (I live a low stress life and I still need all the stress management and mitigation tips I can find.)

Improved focus and productivity: By improving our ability to focus, mindfulness can help us to be more productive and efficient in our work. How much quality work do you actually get done when you're off thinking about your grocery list or something you said two weeks ago?

Enhanced relationships: It's kind of like our relationships get enhanced as a side effect of mindfulness, because I think every relationship functions better when our ability to listen and communicate effectively improves.

Increased self-awareness: By becoming more aware of our thoughts and feelings, we can gain a better understanding of ourselves and our behaviors. This is really important! A lot of people go through life, but never take the time to actually get to know themselves.

Differences Between Mindfulness and Meditation

One thing that often confuses people and immediately turns them off the trying mindfulness is that they think mindfulness and meditation mean the same thing. 

While the two practices are related, but there are some key differences. So if meditation is not something that's up your alley, this might make mindfulness much more palatable to you.

Mindfulness is a state of being, while meditation is a practice. (I could make an argument for meditation being a state of being too, but I'll resist)

Mindfulness is a way of being present in the world, while meditation is a specific technique used to cultivate mindfulness. However, it's not the only way to build mindfulness.

Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, anytime whereas meditation is much more effective if you have a quiet, peaceful setting.

Meditation typically involves a specific technique or focus, while mindfulness involves a range of techniques from breathing exercises to body scans to mindful eating.

How to Start

Set up a comfortable environment.

This is not a make or break step, since like we said before, mindfulness can be done anywhere, you don't need a certain environment to start.

However, I will say that it's much easier and effective if you are able to first set up a comfortable environment for your mindfulness practice. 

This can be as simple as tidying up a corner of your bedroom. Just somewhere quiet and peaceful with minimal distractions.

Practice Mindfulness Techniques

The word techniques makes it sound overly hard and complicated. Don't worry, it's not.

Mindful breathing: Focus on your breath, paying attention to the sensation of the air moving in and out of your body. When we are stressed, our breathing is tight and shallow, so consciously taking a deep breath here and there can be all you need to stabilize yourself.

Body scan: Take a few moments to scan your body from head to toe, noticing any areas of tension or discomfort. The hard part of this is to resist the impulse to judge or need to change what you observe. When you're sitting in traffic or on an airplane are great times to try doing a body scan.

Mindful walking: Take a walk, but instead of drowning out your thoughts with music, see what happens when you focus on the sensations of walking and the sights and sounds around you.

Incorporating Mindfulness into Your Daily Routine

Finally, the key to really sticking with mindfulness long enough to reap all the great benefits is to make mindfulness a habit. 

Start your day with mindfulness: Take a few minutes each morning to practice mindfulness before you start your day. I know someone who counted to ten before getting out of bed in the morning. Something as simple as that can help you set a better tone for the rest of the day.

Incorporate mindfulness into your daily tasks: Practice mindfulness while you're doing everyday tasks, like washing the dishes or folding laundry. These mundane things usually get done on autopilot. We start doing them and then mentally check out to think about work or the next thing that needs to get done. Instead of doing that, try enjoying the experience you are currently having. Because all we really have is the present moment.

Use mindfulness breaks throughout the day: Take a few moments throughout the day to pause and practice mindfulness. I even set alarms throughout the day so that I'll have that reminder to take a few deep breaths, do a quick body scan, or take a walk around the block, these breaks are great little buffers of decompression.

Mindfulness is not about being perfect or getting it "right" (I'm not sure there's a wrong way to do mindfulness) it's about simply showing up and refocusing on whatever you are experiencing.

Troubleshooting

Maybe you're sitting there going "Amber, that's all great, but I still haven't been able to really incorporate mindfulness. Or when I do, it doesn't last."

Let's face it - mindfulness is great, but when you're getting started, it isn't always easy. 

That's why it's called a practice. Practice. It takes practice, patience, persistence, and a willingness to show up even when you don't feel like it. (I've been reminding myself of the same thing about my meditation practice...) 

But here are some common challenges and misconceptions of mindfulness, along with some tips to help you get past them.

Challenge #1: Staying focused. 

Even though we only live in the present moment, for some reason, our minds love to wander around and live in either the past or future.
Tip: Try not to get too caught up in the idea of "perfect" focus. Instead, when you notice your mind wandering off gently bring it back. The more you showing up and do the work, the easier and more natural it will become.

*Note: all good things in moderation. Focusing is great, but you need to temper focus with times to free think and day dream.

Challenge #2: Dealing with discomfort. 

Some people avoid mindfulness because it can bring up uncomfortable emotions or physical sensations, which you then have to deal with.

Tip: Remember that discomfort is a natural part of the process. And if you're feeling overwhelmed, try starting with something much smaller or take a break. 

Mindfulness Myths and Misconceptions

It's a good idea to be mindful of misconceptions about mindfulness. 

Mindfulness is not just for young people, health nuts, or hippies. You don't have to love granola, burn incense, or wear tie-dye to get in on it. Mindfulness is meant to fit you, and help you. 

Mindfulness is not about trying to empty out your mind. That beautiful picture of serenity that you're thinking about? Get rid of it. Mindfulness is not about forcefully evacuating all thoughts and becoming mindless, its simply about being present with whatever is happening in the moment, whether that's your thoughts, emotions, or physical feelings.

Mindfulness is not a cure all. Practicing mindfulness definitely has associated benefits for your mental and physical health, but it's not a silver bullet that will magically solve all of life's problems. (Wish it did, but sadly it doesn't work that way.) No, mindfulness is a tool that can help you face life's challenges in a better, calmer way.

Benefits for Your Mental Health

Mindfulness has been used to help improve mental health in the past. Like I mentioned at the top, mindfulness-based therapies, like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), can help anxiety, depression, and even PTSD. 

Of course, mindfulness is for everyone, so practicing mindfulness, independent of therapy, can still have a positive impact on your mental health by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving mood, increasing your resilience, and helping to boost feelings of overall wellbeing.

And then the most commonly known benefit, stress management.  Mindfulness helps you manage stress more effectively by giving you a greater sense of control over your thoughts and emotions. When you're feeling stressed, instead of letting your thoughts spiral, try taking a few deep breaths and bringing your attention to the present moment. Notice any sensations in your body, and try to approach them with curiosity and compassion.

Benefits for Your Physical Health

In addition to the mental benefits, there are some really great physical ones as well. 

By bringing awareness to physical sensations and practicing acceptance, mindfulness can help us better manage physical symptoms and improve overall wellbeing. These are typically called "Mindfulness-based interventions." This can be used to help physical health conditions like chronic pain and high blood pressure. 

In general, research has shown that mindfulness can help reduce inflammation, boost immune function, and even lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.

Mindful eating has been popularized by Noom and involves consciously thinking about the food you're consuming, enjoying each bite, and then paying attention to how your body feels after. 

Mindful exercise, similar to mindful eating, means that you pay attention to the movement of your body, rather than zoning out and getting through the workout. By practicing mindfulness during eating and exercising, you can get more enjoyment and appreciation out of them.

Some Final Thoughts

Well, we have finally made it to the end of this post.  Quick recap:

Mindfulness is the practice of being present and aware of our thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment.

Mindfulness has been around for thousands of years, originating in Buddhist traditions but is now widely practiced all over the world. 

Mindfulness can have a positive impact on our mental health, physical health, and overall wellbeing.

Practicing mindfulness doesn't have to be complicated - you can start by simply taking a few deep breaths and bringing your attention to the present moment.

I highly encourage you to give mindfulness a chance! Even if it feels strange or uncomfortable at first, remember that it's a skill that takes practice and patience to develop. But the benefits will defiantly pay off in the long run. 

So go ahead - try it. You might just be surprised at how much you like it.

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