Mindfulness is like the in thing now right?
But what does it mean to be mindful?
What is mindfulness?
Is it meditation?
Well today we are going to explore mindfulness and I will share with you later too how to achieve it much more easily
Of course, it is a really big and broad topic and I can’t cover everything fully
Otherwise that can be a book already lol
First of all, mindfulness is not meditation!
But yes, there is something called mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness is a state of conscious awareness of what you are experiencing in totality
That will mean the sensations as you are sitting down in the chair or when you are eating, or perhaps the emotions you are feeling when you look to the sky or smell some food~
And so on and on
At any one given time, when you are mindful of what you are doing, you are working towards that state of conscious awareness
Of course, my definition might seem big, because that will mean when you are eating at home, you are consciously aware of everything that happening in your body!
The sensations, the emotions, the state
Everything!
Not easy to achieve I know
That’s why people start small, just be conscious of the sensations as you eat
Or why there is mindfulness meditation, as you meditate, be aware of the thoughts and emotions that come
But why be mindful?
What’s the point of being consciously aware of how I am eating or how I am feeling?
Naturally, there are a lot of potential benefits to being mindful
One common thing people learn about mindfulness is to reduce or resolve their issues, like anxiety for example
Can it help? Sure
Does it help? Well, it depends
Because when people are in that panic attack or the moment of fear, is it easy to be mindful and aware in an attempt to reduce or cope with the anxiety?
Some can, some cannot
That’s why I say it can help but whether it works or not in that specific moment when you need it is the other thing
The other “issue” is that people usually practice mindfulness during mindfulness meditation
Meaning to say, you are training yourself to be mindful when you are relaxed or calm
Which makes sense for sure
But then when you are in a moment of fear or anxiety, you are not calm
So then, how do you get into the state of mindfulness?
You need to calm down and relax first
And that is why it might not work that well
“Walao McKing then you say like machiam don’t say”
Cough cough before you go…
Obviously I will be sharing a different perspective on mindfulness
HAHAHA
I don’t do mindfulness meditation, but I practice mindfulness
How do I do that?
Essentially, I practice it on the go
Meaning as I am typing to you now, I am practicing mindfulness
I am consciously aware of the ache in my back, and the tension under the soles of my feet, how the fingertips feel as they type on my laptop, the taste of coffee lingering in my mouth after my last sip, the fullness of my stomach after breakfast
Emotions wise, there is calmness in my heart, knowing that I have enough time to type my thoughts here, when my clients will arrive in about 12 minutes time
When I am in this state of conscious awareness, and doing it constantly, what does that do?
It means I am aware when there is a new sensation in my body or mind, when my emotions shift, when some muscle tense up or relax
This allows me greater adaptability, or control, depending on how you look at it
I am also aware of how much time I need to do something, and at the same time, aware of how other people might be affecting me (if I am interacting with someone)
This is called active mindfulness
From outside point of view, if you met me before, what will you say about me?
Some people state that I am calm and patient, like nothing will rock me
Others claim that I am steady, giving an aura making them feel safe and comfortable
Whichever it is, how people see me is their perspective
Internally, maybe I am controlling myself due to a stomachache!!
Hahahhahaha
Anyway, you don’t have to suddenly aim to be so mindful to that level
You can start small
How to practice active mindfulness (by Lee McKing)
Choose a situation to start practicing active mindfulness
And no, don’t choose meditation hahahaha
You can choose to be mindful when you are eating, or perhaps when you are driving
Essentially, when you make a habit to practice mindfulness in 1 daily activity, eventually you can begin to practice it in other daily activities too
In that situation, pick 1 thing to focus on and be mindful
So if you choose to be mindful during mealtime, there are so many things you can focus on
Don’t focus on everything
Again, starting small, focus on perhaps your chewing of the food and the sensations in the mouth
Or perhaps you might focus on your posture as you eat
Take your time and grow
Grow within the chosen situation in the state of awareness, or you might grow in the number of situations to focus on
As you learn and improve upon yourself, you might start to experience other changes
Now you might be wondering whether what I just shared can really work
So here is a little something from a client who asked me how to practice mindfulness and what she experienced in just a few days
Of course, this is just one of the possibilities for positive changes through active mindfulness
Such as becoming from appreciative of our surrounding, being grateful for good things, and just be mindful of what we say to people around us!
As we get a handle of our state of mind (and body), we can also potentially shift ourselves to resolve or release negative emotions
And this is just the tip of the iceberg!
Share with me what you have practice and how was the experience for you?
I’m curious for all the possibly unique experiences you might have had!
