In the world we live in today, it can be difficult to be mindful. We’re often consumed in the hustle and bustle of life, and sometimes, we don’t even take a step back to simply breathe. Although mindfulness is easy to overlook, it’s important that we don’t. This is because it can provide various benefits, such as helping relieve stress, helping regulate emotions, helping to manage hardships, and more.
In this blog, I’ll discuss how you can train your mind to be more mindful. But first, it’s important to dive into what mindfulness actually is. With that being said, according to Oxford Languages, mindfulness is defined as a “mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations”. So, now that you know what mindfulness is, let’s get into ways that you can train your mind to be mindful.
Ways to Train Your Mind to Be Mindful
1. Practicing Gratitude
One way to train your mind to be mindful is by practicing gratitude. This involves consciously appreciating the good things in your life and taking the time to do so throughout the day. Practicing gratitude could be as simple as being thankful for a warm bed to sleep in, a good book to read, or a supportive friend. Looking at the things in your life with a sense of gratitude will help you be more aware of the good that’s in your life, evidently increasing your overall mindfulness.
2. Practicing Mindfulness Meditation
Another way to train your mind to be more mindful is by practicing mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation involves sitting quietly and focusing your attention on your breath or a specific sensation in your body. Mindfulness meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, which allows you to develop a greater sense of calmness and clarity. Practicing mindfulness meditation – and practicing it often – can help you increase your overall sense of awareness and presence, in turn increasing your mindfulness.
3. Practicing Mindful Eating
Last but not least, another way to train your mind to be mindful is by practicing mindful eating. Mindful eating involves taking the time to appreciate and savor your food, as opposed to just scarfing it down. When you sit down for a meal, before you dive in, take the time to appreciate the food that’s in front of you. Then, when you start to eat, chew the food slowly and observe all of its flavors. Practicing mindful eating will not only help you train your mind to be more mindful, but it will also help you to avoid overeating.
Closing Remarks
Being mindful takes practice, and it oftentimes takes training your brain to get really good at it. Although mindfulness can be difficult to practice, it’s important that we do so due to the various benefits that it can provide us.
So, this next week, I encourage you to be more mindful. Whether it’s taking advice from this blog, or getting creative with how you’d like to be mindful, find ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, and start today!
