Mindfulness

What is it and how to incorporate it into your daily life

Mindfulness is really simple at its core. It’s our ability to be fully present in the moment. While its definition may be simple, most of us struggle to achieve it in the midst of our fast-paced society.

Mindfulness requires us to slow down and accept a moment for what it is. There are seven pillars to mindfulness. Working through them can and will have a direct impact on every aspect of your life. Mindfulness, like most other worthwhile endeavors, is a practice. I often even refer to it as a muscle. Just like any other muscle, it must be worked to develop fully. As with many other parts of a true wellness journey, it requires practice, patience and the avoidance of perfection.

Here are seven pillars to consider when beginning your mindfulness journey:

1. Patience; Accept the reality that things unfold at their own time. No amount of worry or stress or urgency will change that.

2. Acceptance; See things for exactly how they are, no more, less, or different.

3. Trust; Keep promises to yourself and allow room for mistakes, it’s how we learn!

4. Keep an open mind; remain curious and receptive even through situations that may be out of your comfort zone.

5. Drop the judgment; be a witness to your own experiences, and avoid labeling them.

6. Sit with it; Meet yourself right where you are and be ok with it. Sometimes things may not be exactly how you envisioned or maybe they are. Either way, it’s important to be able to sit in whatever emotions come up and not try to make the moment be any different than it is.

7. Let go; Be present in the current moment, rather than holding onto thoughts, emotions or situations you’ve experienced. Be able to detach from the event and focus on the now.

Try leaning into a few of the aforementioned pillars. Even practicing one of them for a few weeks helps strengthen that mindfulness muscle and is a step toward gaining more peace within.

Give it a try!