On mindfulness “best practices”.
Mindfulness is proven to improve quality of life. The practice of mindfulness is simply awareness of the present moment, meaning it can basically be practiced all the time.
Four main components of mindfulness (from Jon Kabat-Zinn + Ashley Turner) include:
paying attention
on purpose
to the present moment
with non-judgmental awareness
Although mindfulness can be practiced at any point, anytime and anywhere, when first integrating mindfulness into your life, it could be useful to do so in a structured way.
Here are some useful suggestions that I have discovered along the way from my own personal practice:
Pick one activity that you already do and make it mindful! Strive to be fully absorbed for whatever activity you select … like brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, walking, a yoga practice, etc.
Make your practice daily. When selecting your activity mentioned above, make sure it’s something you do everyday to reinforce consistency.
Start small. Pick an activity that doesn’t take a significant amount of time and then build from there. This will allow you to gradually strengthen your "mindfulness muscle.”
Practice compassion. Mindfulness is meant to be a practice and not a performance. There will be moments of distraction, of wandering thoughts, etc. Give yourself space to notice when you shift away from the present moment, extend yourself some compassion, and simply return to your mindfulness practice without adding anything extra to the process (easier said than done). Perhaps even strive to do so with some humor.
Here's to living a life fully present for the totality of the journey. Keep me posted with how things unfold for you.
In love, light + with gratitude,
Nicole