After spending an entire day at work, focused on our tasks for a solid 8 hours, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with everything the world has to offer.
Sometimes, all it takes is just one trigger to throw us over the edge when things are firing at us from all directions, and one should develop a way to communicate this to others.
At times like these, anyone would feel like isolating, and as bad of a habit as it can be in the long run, everyone needs some alone time, and letting your partner or loved ones know this may be the solution to your problems.
We’ll go over some of the best practices you could employ to increase mindfulness and give you some insight into how staying mindful works in the long run.
Of course, this makes self-care a bit trickier, as communicating with others is a crucial part of taking care of yourself.
Moving on from past trauma
When practicing mindfulness, it’s easy to go back to some feelings from deep within, and any trauma survivors should tread lightly when trying to communicate with their inner selves.
At first, this will take time to get used to, but as you become more experienced, accepting this trauma as something in the past will become easier, allowing you to move on with your life and focus on greater things.
Trauma comes back at the worst of times, and you should be careful when focusing on your breathing or your heartbeat, as you could bring up former experiences by focusing on something as trivial as a bodily function.
Remember not to be overwhelmed by these feelings and remain strong, as they could impede your progress to a great degree, and that’s the last thing you want to feel when you’re already down and under.
Mindful eating
This may be the simplest way of practicing mindfulness, as it’s something you’ll be doing at least 3 times a day, giving you plenty of opportunities to practice.
By focusing on all of your senses as you eat, you’ll gain a greater understanding of the food you’re consuming while also being perfectly aware of everything around you.
Of course, this doesn’t have to be slow, and you can even practice it around other people, and once you’re good enough at it, you’re going to be doing it without even noticing.
Focusing on one thing at a time allows you to fully enjoy it, and there are few things out there that can compare to food when it comes to the enjoyment factor.
This is something you should always practice, especially when you’re eating food you’re particularly fond of, as it’ll help evoke those feelings of happiness from deep within.
Mindful walks in nature
Nature’s beauty is hard to deny, and we as a species are coded to enjoy looking at it, as our eyes are most adapted to the color of woodlands, fields, and plains.
However, there’s a lot more to experience when you’re in nature, and there’s no reason for you to be missing out on all of these sensations.
Take a barefoot walk in a nearby forest or even on your lawn, and you’ll feel a strong connection with every living being around you.
Focus on the grass touching your feet and the sounds leave make as you walk over them, and it’ll make for an incredible experience you’ll want to keep repeating whenever you’ve got the time.
All your five senses should be the focal points for the entire duration of the walk, and devoting all your attention to the sensations you’re feeling will help you stay mindful during this time.
Body scanning
Finally, you can also remain mindful even when you’re alone, and this doesn’t even require any special activity to perform.
Simply go through your body and check for all the sensations you feel as you imagine a force moving through every extremity you have.
In fact, this doesn’t even have to be a relaxation activity, as you could use it to remain aware of your surroundings and check for any underlying issues you may have overlooked earlier.
You can do this even while you’re exercising or at work, or you could do it while relaxing after a long day at work, it’s your choice.
Bottom line
Mindfulness helps us remain aware of our emotional and physical state while also keeping our sensations in check.
There are many practices for you to try and remain mindful of at all times, but it’ll take a lot of practice for you to be able to do it on command.
Keep practicing and it’ll come on its own, and with enough time, you’ll attain the ability to remain mindful through the toughest of times, something most of us can’t do.