Did you get to the end of 2023 and feel like you’d been run over with a steam roller? Have you looked back over the last twelve months and rued all those opportunities you missed? Maybe you’re fed up with repeating your new year resolutions again and again…
When you find yourself working that treadmill and can’t see a way off it, immediately you feel trapped, isolated, possibly lonely and maybe unhappy. Don’t get us wrong; there are many people who are content in this cycle of life. But if you want 2024 to be different and you want to experience as much as possible on your bucket list, you need to keep reading!
Mindful living and mindfulness – what do we mean?
Mindful living; if you’ve not heard the term before, you may be thinking it’s the latest ‘fad’ but we beg to differ. In fact, new research from Masha Remskar, who is an expert in behaviour change, mindfulness and exercise at the University of Bath suggests that mindful living can boost your health, wellbeing and mood, as well as improve mental health.
Now, the benefits of exercise and mindfulness are well-established but this latest study reveals increased benefits when the two are combined. Exercise is easy to understand but mindfulness? Actually, that’s easy as well when I tell you that practising mindfulness techniques as part of your everyday life can help reduce stress levels, improve your physical and mental health, boost wellbeing and happiness.
In simple terms, mindfulness is the practice of living in the moment, the now. It’s being more aware of the present, appreciating it, engaging in what is happening around you and understanding how your actions impact others throughout the day.
But what mindfulness techniques can you put into practice that are easy to follow, can become a daily habit that doesn’t take too long and can really make a difference to the way you live your life this year?
Living mindfully and making every day count
You might be thinking well, I do that anyway but do you really? I mean, when we go away on a wellness retreat or are in our yoga class, yes, we relax and refocus. But, and be honest, practising mindful living every day is another matter. Let’s look at some techniques you can use that will only take a few minutes of your day but could make a lifetime’s difference to you, and those around you.
- Pay attention to your senses. This goes for your feelings, too. Stop for a few moments to focus on your breathing. Look at the colours, shapes and textures around you; close your eyes and visualise them in your mind. Describe the sounds you hear, the things you touch, the taste of what you eat or drink, and how you feel.
- Appreciation. Mornings are always a mad rush but if you slow down for a few moments by appreciating that first sip of your favourite tea or coffee, or fruit juice. Close your eyes and breathe slowly, appreciate the flavour and how it makes you feel.
- Reverse thinking. Mornings again… let me ask. When you get stopped by a red traffic light, how does that make you feel? Angry? Frustrated? Annoyed? Anxious? Then it’s time to reverse your thinking. Instead, take a deep breath – or two – and hit the pause button. Look around you, at other drivers, at the pedestrians crossing the road, and smile at (or with) them; a big, wide, open smile. How does that make you feel? Happier? Calmer? More relaxed? That’s your goodwill sending out good energy vibes so, keep it up throughout the day.
- Go with the flow. How many times do you get frustrated or annoyed that your day hasn’t gone to your meticulous plan? Probably too many and you’ve allowed that stress to sit with you all day. By the time you get to the evening, you’re worn out! Mindful living is creating mindful moments out of even the most boring and mundane of activities. So, when you feel your stress levels rising, look at what you’re doing with your hands or what’s around you; and I mean really look at it. Not just a glance and saying “oh, that’s a tree or water”. Allow your mind to wander for a few moments and appreciate your surroundings. You’ll soon find yourself feeling calmer and even shrugging your shoulders, smiling and, as I take the words from a well-known song – “Let it go…”.
- Break habits. When we have such busy lifestyles, we rely on our habits or everyday patterns. But do we have to? Do they make our lives better? Sometimes, but not always. There’s a saying – “a change is as good as a rest”. Now, it doesn’t have to be a major change but just taking a different route to work, reading a newspaper or magazine that you wouldn’t normally take notice of, try somewhere else for lunch or dinner; turning off the autopilot may be a little scary, but it’s exciting so feel the buzz!
- Be thankful. Yes, I know; by the time we get to the end of the day we feel exhausted. But I bet we all think about the day we’ve had. The question I have for you is this – how many of you are thankful for moments in your day? So, tomorrow, when you’re thinking back over your day, pick out three things that you’re grateful for. It doesn’t have to be anything big or grand; it could be something really small and simple, but you’re glad you’ve got it, experienced it, felt it… gratitude goes a long way. Oh and it’ll make you feel happy and sleepy, tool
No classes to attend; no retreats needed; no money spent. Just a few minutes throughout your day to put yourself in the present, feel, sense and appreciate what’s around you, break a few habits and show gratitude. Is it really that hard? Probably harder than you may think. So, now you’ve taken all this on board, practice it for a few weeks and then tell me how your mindful living is helping you make every day count in 2024.
