Wait What Actually Is Mindfulness?
My simplified take on what it is and how to incorporate it in your life - grab a cuppa and buckle in!
When we think of mindfulness and creating and maintaining a healthy mind, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer holistic, all-encompassing nature it. An aware, holistic-minded life, can mean values are integrated, actions are aligned and your periods of calm and calamity are led by intention and peace. However, while this is a brilliant goal to maintain and work towards, the confronting reality of what seems like a complete overhaul of your current lifestyle may seem intimidating and off-putting due to the level of effort you may think correlates to the desired outcomes.
However, in reality, mindfulness, while yes, a philosophy of life and being, is also a series of small but significant actions and decisions. Mindfulness and the creation of a flexible and healthy mind, are the result of cumulative tiny actions that solidify habits. Default ways of thinking and behaviors you can rely on to guide you when you lack mental clarity or are operating under one of life's many stresses.
Obtaining a habit such as perpetual, embedded mindfulness, means determination and discipline cannot be at odds with time. However like obtaining any habit in life, every single step, small or big counts towards sustainability.
For example, running a marathon is not an easy feat for most of us, and I bet everyone who has run a marathon has engaged in rigorous training, a comprehensive nutrition plan, stretching, expert advice, a conducive sleep pattern, and a whole host of other important steps. However, the attainment of the big goal (the marathon) does not negate the importance of the tiny steps along the way. The tiny steps, most literal and metaphorical are what ensure you can achieve the big goal. The journey is truly as important as the destination. And as many mindfulness practitioners will tell you the journey is ALSO the destination. Confusing? Let’s break it down more.
Mindfulness is very much in the way we choose to act and behave and think. We can do the dishes with mindfulness, and active awareness of the present moment. We can feed our kids with peace and joy, instead of hyper-fixating on the rest of the bedtime routine. Mindfulness concerns engagement and awareness of the present moment and of yourself in the present moment. Fundamentally it would in fact hinder our progress to be hyper-fixated on a future prefected state of mindfulness.
This is why I adore mindfulness - practicing mindfulness in the present moment, with intention and giving yourself the grace to muck up, is simply enough.
So how we can simply start trying to be and therefore be mindful?
Awareness
For me, this is a cornerstone of mindfulness and one I work on continuously. Mindfulness while can be conceptualized in many ways, can also simply be thought of as awareness of the present moment. True engagement in the present moment, that is our actions, our surroundings, and most importantly our thoughts, without harking back to the past or fretting about the future. Now you may think this is boring, or dull. But trust me, engaging in and only in the present moment is addictive - the silence and peace you perceive is like nothing else. Give it a go for 30 seconds right now. Close your eyes, let the thoughts come, and give yourself the grace to be distracted momentarily by them. But remember your purpose in closing your eyes - acknowledge the thoughts, but do not focus on them. Recognize that they exist and they too will be replaced. Not dwelling in thoughts means you can dwell in the space between thoughts
Intentionality
Now intentionality is an interesting point because from my perspective most times, intentionality is intertwined with awareness. Intentionality necessitates that actions, behaviors, and responses to thoughts (note - not thoughts themselves), are done with clear purposeful intention. Why? To ensure that we are fully aware of both the stimulus (i.e the situation or environment) and our response to the stimulus. For example, you get cut off in traffic. Awareness would simply perceive that you are cut off, perhaps you perceive it to be rude or belligerent. Intentional awareness looks at the situation critically. You recognize the fact of being cut off, but you critique your immediate anger or frustration. Could this person be in a rush? Could they have not seen you? Does it even matter if no one got hurt?
Sole awareness would allow you to perceive hurt, anger, or annoyance at the car. Intentional awareness would perceive these emotions and question their usefulness.
In a sense intentionality is your critical lens, not for overthinking or over-analysis, but to guide you back towards your chosen values or desired behaviors. It allows you to act with purpose, not with learned behavior. Intentionality can help guide you away from rash decisions or reactive responses rooted in hurt, anger, or judgment.
So there you have it! A short and sweet guide breaking down mindfulness. How do you incorporate it in your life? Do you find it useful?
Until next time,
Ava