5 Easy steps to practice Mindfulness

Often clients ask me whether they should practise mindfulness, or if I have any information about it. They’ve heard the buzzword but are unsure what mindfulness is and whether it would help them make positive changes in their life. The good news is that anyone can give mindfulness a try. It takes practice, but it is achievable.

This post will briefly look at what mindfulness is. It will offer 5 easy, practical steps to try, as well as some helpful websites and books.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is being present in the moment (with both your mind and body) and being aware of where you are and what you are doing. In other words, you focus your mind on yourself, notice what is happening around you and pay attention to what you are doing.

Often clients talk about their minds being full: full of thoughts about what is happening in their lives or worries about different things. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed or anxious.

Mindfulness helps you take time out from these feelings and intrusive thoughts. When you practise it, if you find that you’re starting to drift into obsessive thoughts, gently bring yourself back to the moment.

Often mindfulness can be hard to define. If you look it up on Google, you will find many different definitions. The best way to really know what mindfulness is, is to try the steps below. Not just once. Try one, two or all of the steps for 5 minutes every day, for at least 2 weeks. See if you notice a difference.

5 practical steps to mindfulness

1. Breathing

Take a few moments to notice your breath. Gently slow the rhythm (do not force it) and feel it entering your nostrils. Notice its temperature and the sensations as the air passes down your throat and lifts your chest wall and belly. Then feel your chest and belly fall again as the breath passes out, again noticing the temperature.

2. Walking

This is an easy, and for me personally the best, way to practise mindfulness. Mindful walking is a form of mindful movement. It uses the everyday activity of walking as a mindfulness practice to help you become more aware of the sensations in your body.

Pay attention to the feelings in your body as you walk, and to the sensation of the air around you. Notice your breath as you move.

Then tune into the environment around you. Notice what you can see and hear. If you focus on the environment around you and the sensations in your body as you walk, it can help you to stay in the present moment. Some people think of it as “meditation in motion”.

For more information, see the resources I link to and my blog post on walk-and-talk therapy and mindfulness.

3. Eating

When you eat (let’s say an apple), take the food and look at it. You want to slow down your eating.

Pay attention to the skin of the apple – feel it, notice the colour and even smell it. Then, when you take a bite, pay attention to how it tastes, its texture and the sound it makes as you chew. Notice the sensations on your lips, tongue and in your mouth.

4. Gazing

Take a moment to stop and gaze out of the window at the sky and any natural objects. Really notice one thing and observe it closely: perhaps a cloud formation, a raindrop running down the pane, a leaf or insect being swept by the breeze, or a bird in flight. Allow your mind to focus on nature and move away from its usual busyness.

5. Listening

Close your eyes and first notice the sounds outside the room (birds, traffic, phones).
Then notice the sounds in your immediate environment (a computer humming, a radio).

Next, take your attention to any external sounds linked to your body (for example, your chair or belt creaking as you breathe). Finally, notice sounds within your body – your breath, any humming or ticking in your ears, gurgles in your tummy.

Then move your attention back out again in stages: from inside your body, to the sounds in the room, and then to the sounds outside.

---

All the above exercises allow you to be in the moment. They help you become more aware of what you see, hear and feel. Becoming more aware of the present moment can help you enjoy the world around you and better understand yourself. Being mindful helps you step away from your busy thoughts and stops them controlling you.

Further information on Mindfulness

Websites:

• Online mindfulness course delivered by Bemindful
• Headspace is an useful app that helps you learn to mediate each day.  The website has a blog which has lots of useful and interesting articles around mindfulness.

Books:

• 10% happier by Dan Harris
• Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman
• I Am Here Now: A Creative Mindfulness Guide and Journal by The Mindfulness Project
• Anxiety Relief: Self Help (with Heart) for Anxiety, Panic attacks and Stress management by John Crawford
• Teaching clients to use Mindfulness Skills by Dunkley, C & Stanton, M
• Little book of Mindfulness by Patrizia Collard