Ever felt out of touch? As if the world was passing you by and you were missing out on the precious details? Try mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the practice of choosing what to focus your attention on. In a world of many distractions, it is yet possible to notice and observe your surroundings and environment while mindfully focusing your attention elsewhere.
According to Jon Kabat- Zinn " “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” Meaning, deliberately and intentionally focusing your attention either externally or internally, in a non-judgemental way. This means, having your thoughts, feelings, emotions and experiences..without judgment. Think of it as being an "observer" of your life. Can be pretty liberating.
Kabat-Zinn, is a famous teacher of mindfulness meditation and the founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. And I love his work. Try mindfulness. Some other suggestions for being more present in your life include:
Reduce technology - yes, it is possible to turn off the iPhone for the evening. Do it- see how it feels.
Be fully present- it's important to be present wherever you are, whomever you might be with. Be FULLY present. Don't disengage. Stay connected.
Give full attention (this goes hand in hand with #2)- give full attention and focus to the present moment, however pleasant or unpleasant it may be.
Eye contact- give courtesy of direct eye contact. It is quite difficult to not pay attention to someone while looking them in the eye:)
Show genuine interest - speaks for itself. People can feel when you aren't interested.
Benefits of beginning a mindfulness practice:
Stress reduction
Reduce ruminating thoughts
Improve quality of relationships
Boost working memory
Less emotional reactivity
What mindfulness is NOT. Mindfulness is not the same as meditation. While meditative benefits (ie. feeling more relaxed) are a byproduct, mindfulness is simply about increasing awareness and focus. See more on mindfulness at: http://www.wildmind.org/applied/daily-life/what-is-mindfulness
I dare you to try it!
