Being present can be easy. And do you remember the benefits? More peace, clarity, focus and happiness. I mean hello! Who doesn’t want that? It’s not an add to your to-do list or even an added mental chore. Instead, it’s a new way of experiencing what you are doing everyday anyhow.

Below I share a few simple practices that you can use to create a new mindfulness that will blend beautifully with your average day. So keep reading.

Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine EASILY is the goal. And how can you do this? The short answer “by paying attention”. Yep that’s it. By paying attention.

Your Brain Doesn’t Have To Be The Boss

Our brain is amazing. We couldn’t exist without it. Unfortunately with the good comes the bad. Sometimes the brain wants to be in on everything. Run the show. Be the boss. Weigh in on issues that quite frankly don’t need that left brain analysis to get the job done. It’s like the over-caffeinated friend that just can’t help herself from giving an opinion on what you “should” do. Even when you aren’t asking.

So back to paying attention…when the brain is in constant chatter it prevents us from paying attention to the moment. Keeps us from being present. The good news is that we can become present and mindful even when the brain isn’t acting as an ally in the process. It’s actually pretty easy.

Mindfulness is a way of life, NOT an event. 

 

The Five Day Challenge To A New Mindfulness

Here are just four of an endless number of practices that can help you begin creating a new mindfulness in life. They are written specifically to allow you to use them with the flow of your personal day. Mindfulness is a way of life, not an event. Becoming aware of yourself and your surroundings through at least one of your five senses brings you into the present moment – into exactly what we are looking for here – “paying attention”.

Essentially what you are looking to do is to train your brain to be more present. So the more times you can do that in a day, the better.

Keeping your five day challenge extremely simple would look like this:

• Pick one of the 4 mindfulness practices.
• Do that practice as many times in a day as you can. It may be 1 time. It may be 10.
• You can do the same practice for five days or switch it up. Your choice.

(TIP: Set a reminder on your phone or computer to help you remember to do your practice.)

4 Personalized Practices To Choose From

Old Faithful – The Breath

All you need to do here is become still, close your eyes and slowly take 3 deep breaths. This brings you right into your body and into the moment. Becoming present. Done.

Take In The Sights

You don’t have to have your eyes closed in order to become present. Actually, using your eyes is a great way to get grounded in the moment. The best way to do it is to be still, but you can also do it when you are walking, running or driving. Use you eyes as a guide to pay attention by noticing what you are looking at, what is around you.

If your eyes are open you are focusing on something, make this something a moment by paying attention to it. My favorite is generally nature – the sky, sun, trees, moon, lake, etc. You might be surprised at how much pleasure this brings you as well.

Delight In Sounds

We hear sounds all day long, but do we really ever “listen”? I’m always surprised at the complexities of sound when I actually slow down and “listen”. Whether you are indoors or out, in a noisy city or a peaceful forest, there are different layers of sound that you can tune into and become present.

Closing my eyes for this seems to work better, but it’s not required. Notice the layers and how you can move back and forth between them with your focus. Play with it a bit. And it just might be a good opportunity for a couple deep breaths as well. (Sorry I couldn’t resist the opportunity.)

Yum, Yum, Yum

Okay who reading this doesn’t appreciate the wonderfulness of food? The taste, texture, beauty, all of it. Why not use the time just before you begin to eat to really experience this appreciation? And all the better if you can do this the entire time you are eating.

Food gives us life. Makes our bodies work. Doesn’t it make sense to become present with it?

Try It – What Do You Have To Lose?

Give the idea of paying attention a try for 5 days and see how it goes. I’m certain that if you do it you’ll find that you will have more grounding and clarity. And if you keep it up, your ability to focus will increase too. You’ll get a handle on that selfish brain and the mindfulness benefits will just keep coming.

If you’re looking for more easy techniques and exercises on how to become present and mindful check out the examples in Mindfulness Monday Quick Hit #2.

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