According to Psychology Today, “Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feeling from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.”
Could something as simple as being aware help you sleep better, stress less, improve focus, feel better??
The Facts:
- A study in people who eat out frequently found that eating mindfully resulted in people eating 20% fewer calories.
- A US study found that just four days of 20 minutes per day mindfulness training improved working memory and the ability to sustain attention.
- A study from Northeastern University found that people who practice mindfulness are five times more likely to behave compassionately towards others.
- A recent review of nearly 50 scientific studies found that mindfulness was as effective as all anti-depressants in helping depression, but with no side effects.
Need help getting started? Try these simple steps:
- Walk with no destination in mind. Let go of all thought of a schedule or an agenda, and simple allow yourself to “go with the flow”. Take in your surrounding and reward yourself, there is nowhere more important for you to be than right her, right now.
- Eat your food and consume your drink as if they were your last. Even if dinner was Chinese takeout, how would you eat it if you know it were your last? Would you savor each bite, maybe slow down to enjoy the meal more? Try being thankful for the meal and those who prepared it, thinking of the farmer who grew the vegetables to the chef who prepared it.
- Before bed, take 15-20 minutes to sit in silence. Breathe deep and notice everything around you. Notice how soft or firm your bed is. Let go and simply be.