What Does it Mean to Be More Mindful?

Most of our lives are immersed in analyzing the past and planning for the future. Because of this, most of us don’t even know what’s happening right now. Often,we just go through the motions in our daily life without fully experiencing it. However, if you want more happiness and success, now it will help you to become more mindful.

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Fully Experiencing What is Happening Right Now

As you read this, are you also watching TV or listening to music, or trying to stop your cat from jumping on the kitchen table? Instead, try reading this and blocking everything else out. It’s only going to take about three minutes of your life to read this without interruption.

Letting Go of Expectations of What You Are Experiencing in the Present

If you have an important event to attend, it’s easy to allow expectations to rule the moment. You may even go into the situation with too many ideas of what is going to happen that ruins your experience. Instead, try to stay grounded so that you can truly feel what is happening.

Taking Pleasure in Every Task Each Moment

Even tasks like washing dishes can become pleasurable if you think of it right. You can enjoy the feel of the soft bubbles on your hands in the warm water, as well as the end results of doing that task by celebrating a mission accomplished

Experiencing the Flow of Creativity

When you are genuinely focused on the now, you’re more likely to get your mind into a flow state of creativity. That’s when you do something (even something hard), and you cannot realize time is passing as you do it. It’s so fun and pleasurable that it’s almost as good as sleeping.

Not Judging the Experience Just Experiencing It

One thing that gets in the way of being mindful is placing judgments on an event or experience. Next time you go to an event or even when you’re eating dinner focus only on the experience and not putting any type of judgment good or bad on the event.

Bringing Awareness to Everything, You Do Every Day

Mindfulness can bring so much awareness to the things you do each day. If you usually eat without thought, think about it as you do it. If you normally multitask stop. When you can do things with full awareness it’s always more fun.

Living in the Now

Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.

― Bill Keane

If you feel as if life is too rushed, find ways to bring yourself into the present so that you can fully experience what is happening right now. Stop thinking and start feeling. Feel the sunshine on your body as you mow your lawn, smell the fragrant air when you go to the lake, and enjoy breathing in and out right now.