According to the American Psychological Association, mindfulness is awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings. It can help people “avoid automatic and/or destructive habits and responses by learning to observe their thoughts, emotions, and other present-moment experiences without judging or reacting to them.”  

It is a common misconception that mindfulness is only for stressful times. It can be practiced anytime and for numerous reasons. Mindfulness is the foundation for many spiritual practices as well as a tool for improving focus and concentration, increasing creativity, facilitating relaxation, and improving relationships.

A simple way to begin is to introduce easy mindfulness practices into their daily life.  We suggest:

1. Try at least three mindfulness practices
2. Create a mindfulness journal
3. Record and reflect on how these practices made them feel.

Simple Practices:

• Deep breathing
• Body scan
• Mindful listening
• Mindfulness Quote 
• Mindful Eating
• Guided Meditation
• Walk Mindfully

Deep breathing 

1. For 2-3 minutes, focus on your breathing.
2. Follow this pattern:  Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds.
3. Reflect:  How did taking a moment to focus on your breath make you feel?

Body scan

1. Slowly focus on different parts of the body and relax them.
2. Reflect:  What did you notice about your thoughts during this exercise?  How does your body feel now compared to before?

Mindful listening

1. Focus on sounds around you for a minute.  It doesn’t matter where you are.  What are you aware of that you were not aware of before you dropped into the moment?
2. Reflect:  Did you feel different before/after this exercise?

Mindfulness Quote 

1. Choose a mindfulness quote and write a reflection on its meaning.
2. Reflect: Reflect on both the meaning of the quote and how the activity affected your presence.

Mindful Eating

1. Pay attention to the taste, smell, texture, and temperature of your food.
2. Reflect: Log your meal(s) and experience(s).

Guided Meditation

• Search online for a beginner’s guided meditation.
• Reflect:  How did it feel?  How did you like it? Would you try this type of meditation again or prefer to try different types?

Walk Mindfully

1. Focus on each of your senses.  How is the sensation of the air on your skin? Hair?  What do you see?  Hear? Smell?
2. Reflect:  How was this different from other walks you have taken?

The most important factor is understanding mindfulness – being present and aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.  The benefits and effects are numerous.  How you practice is not the most important factor.  The most important factor is that you find the approach(es) that are effective for you.