Simple daily habits have the power to rewire our brains. This is what hundreds of research work show about the practice of Mindfulness.
Below I am sharing some simple tips to start your mindful practice in daily life:
⁃When you wake up in the morning, sit quietly for a couple of minutes before you start any activity. Early morning is the time to appreciate quietness and stillness around you and within you.
⁃Enjoy atleast one meal a day in silence, eating a bit slower than normal and being fully present to the taste of the food or the drink. You will soon say goodbye to binge eating.
⁃All through the day, become aware of your breath every now and then. Your breathing and mental states are closely linked together. Notice your breath to become aware of your mental state. Then take a couple of deep intentional breaths and feel the difference in your mental state.
⁃A sure way to reduce stress is to shift your attention to all the subtle and unnoticed things in your current environment – chirping of the birds, any pleasant fragrance, flower pot or any plant in your environment, or merely becoming aware of your feet touching the ground, the space and silence in between your breaths, etc.
⁃When you go for a walk in the evening, leave your phone behind. Try to connect to nature. See if you can notice one new thing each day that you haven’t noticed in a while such as the falling leaf, the clear sky, the stars at night, etc. These help to release the underlying stress related to incessant and obsessive thinking.
⁃Team up with your partner to practice mindful communication where you give each other a few moments of complete attention. Not meant to be a discussion, the idea is that one of you listening while the other talks and then take turns. Start with 5 minutes at a time.
⁃Practice mindful journaling by noting your mental states non-judgmentally at specific times during the day
⁃Scan your body and feel the sensations, especially before going to sleep at night. Try not to label the sensations as good or bad but to recognize it for what it is.
These simple habits, done regularly, can infuse you with a renewed faith about yourself. No longer will you be dependent on outward experiences to determine who you are.