There are often times when we would like to apply Mindfulness to our everyday life, but we feel that we don’t have the time to pause or meditate, especially during a busy work day.
Through my own research into Mindfulness, I have (so far) discovered four tools or concepts, that we can mentally carry with us. Through our self awareness, we can apply these tools when relevant situations arise, therefore utilising Mindfulness when we need it the most.
I recently subscribed to the Calm app for my meditation practice. Previously, I had been using the free Insight Timer app for basic meditation practice, but realised that I wanted something a bit more beneficial and consistent. After discovering the daily calm meditations from the Calm YouTube channel, (and liking all of them), I decided to give the app a go.
There are many mindfulness and meditation apps out there and it is almost like a minefield when trying to find the right app for you. I really enjoy the aesthetic, and fluidity of the Calm app, which is why it has become my go-to for meditation.
Continue reading “Review: Dream with Me by Harry Styles for the Calm app”
We often hear the phrase ‘be more mindful’, but what does this actually mean? Mindful derives itself from the word Mindfulness, and you can say that the phrase is an alternative to saying that we should ‘be more present’, and less on an auto-pilot mode (doing your usual routine without paying attention to what you are actually doing). If you are new to the concept of Mindfulness and are wanting to feel more present in each moment, here are 10 mindful ways to help you achieve this.
1) Allow your breathing to become your anchor to your present moment. This is something that can be achieved through a consistent practice of meditation.
Having recently rebranded the blog, I am fortunate that both topics that I talk about, correlate and integrate well with each other. Music is a very mindful activity and can be used as a mindfulness tool that helps us stay in the present moment, as much as possible.
I am sure many of you that are currently working from home, or while performing any kind of cumbersome task, will prefer to have some music on in the background, to allow your mind not to be focused on the boredom that maybe there, in the task at hand. This indicates that music is used as a distraction, a mood booster and also requires you to stay in the present moment, as you listen to a song or two.
Ever since I began my journey into Mindfulness almost two years ago, I began to realise just how important it is, to incorporate the practice into our daily lives.
The true essence of Mindfulness is to live fully in the present moment. That means when you are enjoying a cup of tea or coffee, you are fully focused on how it tastes, smells and how comforting it makes you feel. Mindfulness is essentially learning the art of self-awareness. The more self aware we are, the more we can recognise how we are feeling and then be able to manage our stress levels better.
The main technique used in Mindfulness practice, is bringing your attention to your breathing. Your breath can be used as the main anchor, when you have noticed that your mind and attention have wandered off, taking you away from the present moment. Our breath ultimately guides us back to the present while reminding us constantly that we are alive.
Continue reading “What is Mindfulness? Breaking the myths of an important practice”
