The idea of being mindful involves being ‘present’, being more conscious of life and our surroundings as they happen. Being ‘present’ not only makes us more productive, but allows us to enjoy life to the fullest.
Follow these few short steps to begin your journey towards being mindful:
- Take a couple of minutes to notice your breathing. Sense the flow of the breath, the rise and fall of your belly.
- Act slowly and deliberately. Notice what you are doing as you are doing it and tune into your senses. When you are eating, notice the colour, texture and taste of the food.
- Don’t feel that you need to fill up all your time with doing. Take some time to relax and focus on your breathing. When your mind wanders to thinking, gently bring it back to your breath.
- Recognise that thoughts are simply thoughts; you don’t need to believe them or react to them.
- Notice where you tend to zone out (e.g., driving, emailing or texting, web surfing, feeding the dog, doing dishes, brushing teeth, etc.). Practise bringing more awareness to that activity
Other articles you may be interested in:
Using Mindfulness for Exam Stress
Beyond Revision: Guide to Exam Stress Management
CXK provides Emotional Wellbeing counselling services to schools and colleges throughout Kent, helping to build emotional resilience and coping skills in children and young people.
