Mindfulness: Creating a Sense of Calm
Imagine you’ve just arrived home from a long day of work. What are you thinking about? Maybe your to-do list, what you’re going to make for dinner tonight, that meeting you have tomorrow, next week’s deadlines, what time you need to pick up the kids from soccer practice, oh and that thing you keep forgetting to write down, what was that?
Life can get a bit hectic, and when our thoughts are running unchecked, things become overwhelming. How can we calm our minds and create a sense of peace within when there’s always so much to think about? This is where mindfulness comes in. Cultivating a mindfulness practice has the power to transform your thoughts and, therefore, your life!
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness originates from Buddhist and Hindu teachings and is thought to be the first step toward enlightenment. Mindfulness is presence in the current moment. It’s sitting at the beach and thinking, “What a beautiful day,” “the sand feels so soft,” or “I love hearing the sounds of the ocean,” rather than thinking of what you need to do when you get home. It’s being mentally in the here and now rather than the past or future. To be mindful is to have your mind full of thoughts of whatever is in front of you. This grounds us in the present moment and decreases feelings of stress and overwhelm.
While thoughts of the future can induce anxiety and thoughts of the past can create feelings of depression, being present and thinking about what’s in front of us invites a feeling of ease, as well as a readiness to take on whatever this moment brings. The present moment is always kinder than our busy thoughts.
So, how do we do it? A mindfulness practice can look different for everyone.
It can be a daily 5-10-minute meditation where you allow yourself to sit, breathe, and focus on your breath and the sensations in your body.
It can be setting an alarm on your phone a few times a day to remind you to step back and, notice what’s in front of you and take a few deep breaths.
It can be going for a morning walk while focusing your thoughts on the things you see, hear, and smell.
It can even be sitting with your journal and writing down a few things you’re grateful for today.
We recommend choosing one of these daily practices to begin and see how you’re feeling after a week or so!
Through meditation and awareness, we teach ourselves to focus on the present. Slowly, we can become the observers of our thoughts rather than controlled by them. Eventually, you’ll effortlessly notice past or future thoughts and shift into present awareness. The more you’re in the present moment, the more you’ll notice a sense of calm within your mind and heart.
If you’re interested in diving deeper into the art of mindfulness, check out The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh.