Weaving Mindfulness into Life as it is

Do you want to incorporate more mindfulness into your life but don’t feel like you have the time to add yet another thing?

That’s not a problem! The beauty of mindfulness is that we don’t actually need more time. It’s like a layer we weave into what we’re already doing. We just need a bit of curiosity and to remember.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is really best understood experientially, so take this definition as a starting point for your own exploration.

>> Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present (as much as we’re able to) with the current moment as it is. It includes cultivating a kind, allowing attention beyond the often-judging thinking mind. And despite what the name implies, mindfulness is not so much about the mind as it is about the body. 

When we are becoming more present, we are moving beyond absorption in our thoughts (mind) and beginning to find home in the body, in what we sense and feel, and to our hearts and deepest aspirations. 

The breath is your bridge and anchor

What is one of the best and most simplest ways to make this shift into body?

The breath.

Did you know within just a few seconds of conscious breathing we can begin to shift into a parasympathetic nervous system state, signaling our body to begin calming down? Heart rate begins to slow, muscles start to relax, and within only a minute or two a more profound shift in mood and focus can occur. 

The breath is like a bridge from the mind into the body. If you are ever feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts or external stimuli (hello, humanness) you might try taking just 3 slow and conscious breaths. Notice the sensations of the breath: feeling the cool air in through your nose or the rise and fall of your belly. My favorite is to feel as if I am breathing in through every cell in my body. Go slowwww.

Now that we’re more embodied, we have more contact with the present moment and ourselves, we are more at ease and available, and we have more options for what we want to do next.

But even without shifting our state at all, we can become more aware of what’s happening. So what is it that we can become aware of? Let’s explore it.

I want to first underline that point that mindfulness is a practice and an exploration. There’s no right way to do it, so please take that pressure off yourself. Let it be fun even! 

Notice what is happening in your body

I might turn towards myself in any given moment and ask, “What’s happening in my body right now?” 

Maybe there’s a tightness in my belly, my heart is racing, or my chest feels open and expansive. Maybe my energy is buzzing, or I feel myself relaxing.

Can you notice, and then feel and be with those sensations? Breathe with them.

Often we create constriction around unpleasant sensations or emotions, which only adds more discomfort. Can you practice making space for difficulty, and tend to yourself with kindness based on what you discover?

And what if what’s here is pleasant? Can you open into it and savor the goodness of this ordinary bliss? Maybe it’s a warm hug or chocolate cake. You’re only human once. How fully can you delight in the simple pleasures that pass you by? 

Notice what is happening in your mind

I might ask, “What’s happening in my mind right now?” 

Maybe it’s calm and still, or there’s a loop of thoughts on repeat. Maybe I am putting a lot of pressure on myself to have done xyx better. Or maybe my mind is planning future events while a friend is sharing right in front of me.

Can you notice and let the thoughts keep moving, or set them aside for another time? Let the mind be the mind, we don’t need to judge what we notice. 

When we notice our thoughts this means we are no longer absorbed in them. So if you are noticing a busy mind, woohoo! You have just become more mindful. Mindfulness does not mean we always have a calm mind.

Notice what is happening in your surroundings

I might ask, “What’s happening around me right now?”

Maybe I hear the birds chirping and feel the warmth of the sun on my arms, or the lighting in this room is very calming. Maybe my friend is sharing about her hard day and is looking pretty down, or maybe I can see schoolkids skipping across the street.

One of the best ways to tune into the present moment is to ground ourselves in the physical world.

Feeling stuck and stagnant? Find yourself in a novel place with new and interesting surroundings. Take a different route home from work, or go for a walk in the park and notice the changing leaves.

You can see that the present moment holds a lot. The contents of experience can include internal and external states, sensations in the body, sights, sounds, smells, and thoughts. 

One of my favorite benefits of this practice is that it is a pathway to becoming more of what we already are: a human being having an experience filled with bliss and pain and everything in between. As we practice we find more and more space within ourselves to hold it all with ease and equanimity. 

Keep going. You’re doing great.