![]() ![]() But that doesn’t mean you can’t daydream. Mindfulness is associated with being in the here and now. Self-compassion complements mindfulness.” Daydream deliberately. “Being more in the moment is a valuable skill, but also be kind to yourself. “Recognize that everybody finds sustaining mindfulness to be challenging from time to time,” Schooler suggests. Whatever you do, don’t be too hard on yourself. But figuring out why you use your phone and when may help bring more appreciation when scrolling social media. You don’t have to do a digital detox (unless you wish). “Do you reach for it when you are feeling bored? Is it a distraction? Is it filling time?” Also, consider what life might be like if you had more deliberate awareness of the times you are on your phone. “Work to become more cognizant of how and when you use your phone,” Matthews recommends. But our ever-at-hand phones offer another opportunity to be more attentive. Take multitasking: It’s hard to be truly conscious of more than one thing at once. Many common practices of modern life don’t tend to support staying present. Put down the phone (or notice when you don’t). “Having more awareness of when those emotions tend to rise can help you see patterns, identify which ones support your health and well-being, and check or challenge those unhelpful thoughts,” Matthews notes. But the narrative we tell ourselves about whatever event happened leads to emotions - and those can lead to dysfunctional behaviors. Is it an accurate way of thinking? Is there another way to see things? “Thoughts are not good or bad,” Matthews says. Instead, just notice the thoughts and let them go.Įven better, be with the thought and explore it with curiosity, rather than judgment. When those thoughts arise, pause before you label them or follow them down a rabbit hole. Simply spend time being present in that experience, observing what each sense is taking in, how your body feels, and any thoughts you may have. You can start by making a commitment to do some small task deliberately. But you don’t have to meditate - at all, ever. This formal discipline can help you develop a skill set that you can apply to any context, Schooler explains. If you wish, you can certainly try meditation. On the other hand, appreciating an opportunity and a chance to be open to experiences, playful, curious, and engaged in childlike wonder can help us foster a healthy perspective, Matthews says. Research suggests we’re more productive and make fewer errors when we do one thing at a time. If we view slowing down as one more check mark, we risk not enjoying it, and in turn, we’ll stop practicing. Many of us are in “doing” mode, working through the day’s to-do list as quickly as we can. Once one or two small changes become regular habits, it will not only be easier to make other changes, but you may find that you are naturally becoming more attentive in other aspects of your life. In fact, it’s much easier to start small rather than try to meditate for 20 minutes right off the bat. Make a habit of it.īringing more awareness into your everyday life does not have to be an overwhelming or time-consuming project. This can help you notice and change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaving. ![]() Instead, you may wish to explore those thoughts with an open heart. It’s to become more aware of the variety of ideas and emotions you have and not to judge or label them. But the point is not to cease your thoughts or feelings. ![]() “Many times, people will say, ‘I tried to meditate, but I couldn’t stop thinking,’” Matthews says. ![]() There’s a misconception that mindfulness means not having thoughts. “You can try it while walking, doing the dishes, or any situation where you find yourself present, attending carefully to the moment-to-moment experience,” Schooler says. But you can also participate informally, in a variety of ways. “These are often a key aspect of cultivating greater awareness,” she adds. Meditation, yoga, body scans, and other activities are examples of formal practices, Matthews explains. Make mindfulness your own.Ĭontrary to popular belief, a mind-body practice does not have to mean meditating all day long. “My own perspective is that it involves being present in the moment, and it involves a capacity to recognize that the thoughts that cross your mind may or may not correspond to your true beliefs,” adds Jonathan Schooler, PhD, professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and director of the Center for Mindfulness and Human Potential. However, many people quote the definition from scientist and meditation teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD: “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” Kabat-Zinn sometimes adds that it is used in the service of self-understanding and wisdom. No single definition of “mindfulness” exists. ![]()
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