An important part of experiencing wellbeing is to not just work on your diet and exercise, but also on your mental health. Mindfulness is the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. Being better aware of your surroundings can allow us to be much more grateful of those around us and our surroundings. It also aids us in becoming more active and motivated towards accomplishing our goals. There’s often a taboo behind mindfulness because it is often associated with meditation. There is no reason to see mindfulness as an obscure thing however, it is a completely natural process. It is likely that you’ve practiced some form of mindfulness already. For example, keeping a food journal is a wonderful way to be mindful of what you’ve been eating. If you are looking into how you can improve your overall mental wellbeing, becoming more mindful is a great place to start. Continue reading to learn about some exercises you can do to help increase your mindfulness.
1. Try meditation
Beginning meditation for the first time can feel strange. It may also seem like it doesn’t do anything. When first starting, make sure to come in with an open mind. Understand that you have to be patient. There are a bunch of different types of meditation styles that you can practice. Take some time to experiment with them and find which one works best for you. The internet is a great source for finding new techniques
2. Journal your food
Like mentioned before, food journaling is a wonderful way to stay mindful of your food intake. Your food journal can be anything from a physical journal to an app on your phone. When food journaling, write down what you ate, how much of it you ate, when you ate it, and maybe even how you feel.
3. Track your gratitude
Find a way to keep track of what you are grateful for. Being constantly reminded of the positives in your life can help you slowly stop obsessing over the bad things. One great way to do this is to create a “gratitude bowl”. This involves writing down anything you are grateful for on a given day and placing it in a bowl. Whenever you may be feeling down, grab a paper from your gratitude bowl and read what you had admired previous day. Try to form a habit of doing this regularly, as you can train yourself to become happier with your day-to-day life.
4. Start a thought journal
Journaling is not only a great way to stay mindful, but also to destress and vent. Writing out your feelings/experiences can help you really process your day. You may even be able to better handle tough situations this way, as you’ll be getting all your feelings out. Reading through your journal can also aid you in tracking your overall mood in order to figure out what changes you may need to make in your day-to-day experiences to better improve your wellbeing.
5. Visit a safe space
We all have a location that we feel most at ease in. Taking some time to visit this location. Whether it be the beach, your favorite room in the house, or a special restaurant, doing so can help you reset your emotions. Recreating good feelings such as comfort, security, and happiness will boost your mood and can re-energize you for the day.
Works Cited:
Say, N. (n.d.). 9 Mindfulness Group Activities for Adults. Retrieved from Happier Human: https://www.happierhuman.com/mindfulness-activities-adults/