Episode Description
Here's a quick, three-minute tip where we break down a mental health or personal development topic in 180 seconds to help you shift or reframe your perspective.
Today's topic explores three different ways to practice mindfulness that don't involve sitting down to meditate.
While mindfulness often gets equated with meditation, the two are actually distinct.
In a nutshell, mindfulness is the ability to focus our attention and awareness on the present moment and notice what's happening inside (so any thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations that might be coming up) as well as whatever may be happening in our surroundings.
It's a state of being, while meditation on the other hand, is a tool or practice that can be used to achieve a state of mindfulness among other things.
While there are benefits to both, intentionally cultivating a practice of being more mindful can be helpful to reduce stress, improve attention and enhance feelings of calm.
Three ways to practice mindfulness are:
- Use your senses.
Simply pause, if you're able to, and notice what you can see, smell, taste, hear and feel in your immediate surroundings.
2. Narrate a task or something that you're doing while you're doing it.
For example, if you're washing dishes, explain what you're doing as if you were instructing someone who had never washed dishes before.
3. Try a body scan.
Bring your attention to the top of your head and notice any physical sensations you might be experiencing. Then begin moving your attention down your body, to your neck, your shoulders, your arms, all the way down to your feet, noticing any physical sensations as you move to each different body part.
These are just three strategies to help practice mindfulness. There are tons of other techniques that you can use to become more present. You might even come up with your own unique method.
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*Disclaimer: The information contained in this episode is for the sole purpose of being informative and is not considered complete. It should not replace consultation with a qualified professional.