By now you know that Mindfulness is another name for Awareness.
In our society multi-tasking has become the norm for many people. Mindfulness is a way of being that counteracts stress by intentionally focusing a person’s attention on the present moment—and accepting it without judgement.
Mindfulness helps you achieve a state of relaxation to counteract the effects of stress by paying attention to the present moment without judgement. It helps you to live in the moment because, by making it a regular part of your day you focus and train your awareness to notice the detail of your life in every individual moment.
While we can become more mindful simply by turning our awareness to ON, we can also consciously develop our mindfulness practice and receive the many benefits it carries by purposefully training our brain.
Awareness Exercise (a mindfulness exercise)
On a typical day take three minutes to walk around the room or the space that you are in. Do this without any particular goal in mind. Just walk wherever your attention is drawn.
When the three minutes are up get a notebook and pen and write down where your mind went for those three minutes.
Did you:
- Have thoughts about the past?
- Think about the future, or of jobs you have to do?
- Did you replay a conversation you had with someone?
- Did you look for a solution to a problem?
- Did you criticise yourself?
- Did you think about how hungry, tired or any other emotion you are feeling?
This exercise gives you an idea about where you are placing your attention throughout the day, and the many different things that distract you from being present.
Use what you discovered about yourself through this exercise to refine your mindfulness practice.
If you have encountered resistance in any form through your mindfulness practice this exercise can provide you with insight to help you overcome it.
To develop greater mindfulness check these 12 Tips.
