7 tips for becoming more mindful

7 tips for becoming more mindful

In recent years, mindfulness has increasingly been recognised as an important component of health, wellbeing, performance and happiness. 

In fact many believe that mindfulness is one of the foundation stones of living a really happy and "good" life. 

So today we happily share with you these 7 great tips on becoming more mindful and hope that they bring you more happiness and success in life…

via Business Insider

Mindfulness is an intention to be present.

While the benefits of mindfulness have been well-documented for decades, learning to be mindful is paramount for everyone in today’s quick-paced, multi-tasking, over-scheduled society — for #WomenWhoWork, it’s especially key.

Mindfulness is defined as maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and surrounding environment.

Although mindfulness is rooted in Buddhist meditation, it has become an American buzzword and part of our daily practice, thanks to Jon Kabat-Zinn and his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, launched in 1979.

Since then, researchers have had a field day documenting the many physical, mental health and social benefits of a mindful state of being.

Research suggests that after just eight weeks of intentionally practicing mindful behavior, physical benefits begin to become evident. For example, your immune system will be better able to fight off illness, and you’ll also find you sleep better, eat better and live a healthier life, in general.

In addition, research shows mental health benefits for those who practice mindfulness, citing an increase in positive emotion and a decrease in negative emotion and stress.

The social benefits include things like improving relationship satisfaction — helping partners feel more optimistic, relaxed and connected. In the workplace, mindfulness enhances focus and our ability to attend to the task at hand, an undeniably valuable skill.

Finally, for all of us moms, mindful parents report being happier with both their parenting practices and their relationships with their children, who are found to do better socially than their peers who aren’t lucky enough to be raised by a mindful mom.

Ellen Langer, who has been studying mindfulness for 40-plus years, describes mindfulness as "the process of actively noticing new things." I know it seems counterproductive, when the goal is to focus. How many of us try NOT to notice things around us — chatty coworkers, distracting emails, screaming children, texting spouses — in an effort to meet a deadline or accomplish a task?

I’m with ya, which is the very reason that Jon Kabat-Zinn’s explanation resonates most with me. He explains that mindfulness is "about living your life as if it really mattered, moment by moment by moment by moment."

Of course our lives matter — and this moment matters, too! So, let’s not waste our time being scattered. Use these seven tips to maximize this moment RIGHT NOW.

1. Watch your thoughts

We give our thoughts too much power! Thoughts only have power or value if we give it to them. Think about it: these shoes are horribly uncomfortable … kids believe in the tooth fairy … I’m never going to get this presentation done with that stupid construction crew clambering that damn jackhammer outside my window!

Each of these are thoughts with the same value — none! But much of the time, we get caught up in having a fit over the clambering construction crew, and we’re off to the races.

The goal is a practice I call "thought watching." Watch your thoughts in much the same way you watch the cars drive by, as you sit on your front porch. There’s a red Buick, a black Cadillac, and look at that, a grey Honda Accord. Watch them.

There’s no need to jump into the passenger seat and go for a ride. The same goes for your thoughts. Watch them pass — no jumping in, no judgment, no problem…

…keep reading the full & original article HERE