Train Your Brain to Be More Mindful
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the ability to be more fully present and aware of yourself and what is happening around you. Bringing awareness to your environment, creates a space in which you can choose to react or how to react to the situation. As humans, we naturally do this, but as with all skills, mindfulness becomes easier with practice.
What are the benefits of being more mindful?
There’s evidence that mindfulness helps to reduce stress and anxiety as well as lower blood pressure, thus improving mental and physical health.
By being present, your mind can take itself out of the rumination track and not dwell on the past or future events beyond your control which can ease depression.
Mindfulness can also help with goal setting as you are setting your intentions and visualizing yourself obtaining the goal which sets you down the path to achievement.
How do I become more mindful?
Through daily meditation you can become more mindful. Here are a few easy meditations to get you started on self-awareness and acceptance – the cornerstones of mindfulness:
1. Full Body Scan
No fancy MRI machine necessary, all that is needed is a few minutes in a quiet place with no distractions. Sit or lie down with eyes gently closed and do a mental scan of your body from head to toe. Check in from head to toe, recognizing how each part feels and how you feel as a whole; acknowledging each message and letting it go.
2. Walking Meditation
Getting outside and enjoying nature is a wonderful way to relax and get some additional steps in – always a bonus to maintaining a healthy lifestyle! While slowly walking, draw your attention to each step. Be aware of how it feels to be upright, placing one foot in front of the other – heel to toe pushing off the ground, sensations of the foot’s contact with the ground.
3. Sitting Meditation
Taking a moment to relax and focus on breath is a great way to relieve tension and anxiety. To get started, find a quiet place to sit comfortably for a few minutes without interruption. Gently close the eyes and begin nice, calm breathing through the nose, focusing on each breath in and out. If thoughts begin to drift from the breath, acknowledge them and then release.
Need more meditation practice?
Dive deeper in to meditative practices in Coach B Von’s book, The Energy Harvest: A Spiritual Model for the Enhancement of Your Life. Order your copy today to get seven days of Energy Harvest Daily Meditation to keep you feeling supported as you move forward in your healing.
