How to Find Your Mindfulness Mojo
A current buzzword during Covid19 has been mindfulness. What does that word really mean and why is it being noticed during a pandemic? Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment, according to Thich Nhat Hanh, a famous monk who has taught adults and children this practice. To be mindful is to be in the present moment and focus on what is happening right now. Currently, I am writing this blog so I am mindful of what I am trying to communicate. I might be mindful while I am eating which means that I am paying attention to tasting my food, chewing, and swallowing. We can be mindful at anything we are doing throughout the course of our day.
Why is this helpful and why is it being discussed during a pandemic? Being mindful can help us realize the importance of what we are currently doing and appreciate the present rather than looking to the past or the future. We as Americans are a culture of multitaskers, but sometimes when we are trying to do more than one thing at a time we lose quality to whatever we are working on. Focusing on one thing at a time helps us to slow down, and in that slow down we can find peace and happiness right where we currently are.
I may be at home, cooking dinner, trying to let my dog out, and helping one of my kids, (now back at home because of Coronavirus) all at the same time. My main focus is cooking dinner, but I am not mindful of that task solely, so as a result while I'm letting my dog out and talking to my son, my dinner burns. I was not mindful of cooking so as a result I ruined what I had stir frying in a pan.
If I am mindful of the blue sky above me, I am solely focusing on that one visual. I am thankful for the beautiful color, and I am not worried about anything else but that sky at that moment. It sounds crazy, but once you realize how to find mindfulness in your life it is easier to achieve peace and awareness in your life, whatever that might be. Slowing down helps so that our brains can tune into things currently happening. You will be more open to the people in your life as well. Practicing mindfulness gives insight on how to respond when someone like your child or spouse may need you because you are focused on the here and now. At work benefits include: less stress, more productivity, and reduced absenteeism. Mindfulness gives us mental and physical health benefits.
How can we get to this mindfulness place in our brains? Breath is a very important part of mindfulness. Try sitting in a quiet space and practice a basic in through the nose out through the mouth way of breathing. There are many apps out there to help you get started. I like the Smiling Mind app(free) and the Calm app for ways to practice breathing and meditation.
I like to do a four count breath practice where I breathe in for two counts and breathe out for the remaining two counts. While I am breathing I am aware of my breath and how I am counting. By doing this I am in the present moment. I push the thoughts coming into my brain gently away and focus on the breath and the counting. It takes time, but once you practice you will feel relaxed and calm and then your mind will be wide open to face whatever your day holds.
During a pandemic we only have moment by moment. We are forced to be still in a sense right now because we are under home quarantine. During this time of uncertainty (because of the virus and the economy) can bring a lot of stress so this mindfulness piece can really help, even if you only start with the breathing exercises once a day for around ten minutes. Practice means you have to do something over and over to get better at it. Practicing mindfulness takes time so don't be surprised if you cannot quiet your thoughts right away. Keep trying and soon it will be become easier.
Using the power of breath we can learn to calm ourselves and our emotions. Emotions can be on high especially now during a pandemic. Once we can visualize ourselves as a fresh flower or a strong mountain we are able realize that we can tackle problems and anxiety. Using mindfulness and meditative breathing we can slow down and have clearer thinking patterns.
I have learned to slow down myself. I can tell you it is a constant battle as I am a high energy individual that needs to be on the move. I have constant chatter in and out of my head especially these days during Covid19 because things around me are not predictable as they once were. But I take time each day to sit in quiet and just breathe, just focus on the here and the now and it has made a difference in the way I react to my family. Instead of jumping in right away I calmly wait, listen, and then react. That slowing down process has prevented arguments and stress that can happen with a college student living with me again after being on his own for eight months and then re-entering my home. As you can imagine it has been an adjustment for my husband and I but I am happy and thankful for the new dynamic again.
This time of our lives is different and can be stressful but it is temporary and could be much worse. I have not had to live through a physical war and while we're all living through an invisible war, I embrace the time I have now to refocus and be mindful of what the future holds. I am up for the challenge.
Below I have added a link to help you try a guided meditation practice with
Thich Nhat Hanh.
For some information sited and more look below:
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