3 Ways to Practice Mindfulness in Your Everyday Life

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Mindfulness is a thing a lot of people are talking about lately. So what exactly IS “Mindfulness?”

Mindful.org gives the following definition:

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

I know, it seems pretty basic and generic…but when you really take a moment to sit down and think about it, it’s NOT basic. It’s not generic AT ALL. We’re talking about living in the present. Being aware. Fully appreciating every second of every day and really, it all boils down to LIVING IN THE MOMENT.

I came to a point in 2016 when I was just – well, I was running. I was running away from my feelings of abandonment resulting from my divorce. I was running away from “my old life,” running away from the illness my daughter was enduring, I was just RUNNING. I didn’t know who I was, what I was doing, so I just avoided it all together. The came a time when I sat down and took a good, hard look at my life, and I knew that I needed a change. A change for the better. I needed to find my center, my peace, my purpose in life.

It’s almost impossible when you’re doing everything in your power to keep so busy that you don’t have to deal with “real life.”

So I made a change. I began seeking help from a nearby spiritual center, and working with a spiritual advisor. A Reiki healer. I began investing in crystals meant to soothe my soul, learning how to work with the New Moon and Full Moon to deal with my demons and ensure that I was following the right path. I began meditating.

I didn’t know it then, but what I was doing – well, it was the early stages of the Mindfulness movement. I did a lot of work on my own, then began enlisting the help of friends I’d made who were on the same path as I.

Along the way, oddly enough, I began receiving books in the mail from various publishers who really struck a chord with me – I am showing a few of them below. These are books that I didn’t request, were never pitched to me – they just showed up. I took it as a sign from the Universe that I was on the right path and these are essentially guidebooks…

A Few Things About Mindfulness

Every Single Person Can Do It! Practicing Mindfulness doesn’t mean you have to give up your religion, go to crazy classes or even sign up for a mailing list.

Mindfulness is a Way of Life. When we practice Mindfulness, we become more aware and caring about everything in our lives…it isn’t a mere meditation session. It permeates every fiber of our being – once we get the hang of it!

Mindfulness Improves our Lives. Science and experience demonstrate benefits for our health, happiness, work, and even our relationships.

Mindfulness Aids in Creativity. Once we slow down and become more present in our everyday lives, our minds become more clear and focused, allowing us to become more creative. This is especially important in fields like mine, where I MUST be creative in order to be successful!