It’s hard to become a mindfulness guru overnight. But there may be a few ways you can practice awareness and begin moving towards a more balanced life (and feel healthier in the process), starting today.
Mindfulness of what we eat.
Sudden shifts in diet and exercise routines can upset metabolism and cause more harm than good. A healthier alternative to yo-yoing might be to develop a steady awareness, one meal at a time, of exactly what we put into our bodies. Observing our habits carefully in the present moment may help bring long term, healthy lifestyle changes better than quick-fix recipes.
Mindfulness of how much we sleep.
Beyond helping us see what is present, mindfulness may also help us see what is missing from the picture – and sleep is a great example. If we can slow down (taking a few minutes each night to breathe deeply and listen to the body’s signals), we may realize that evening lethargy; daytime muscle soreness and morning irritability may be the results of sleep deficiency.
Mindfulness of how much we play.
Mindfulness also helps us recognize balance, or lack of it, in our daily routines. When we rush from home to work to gym and so on, we get into a mindset where having fun is not an option, or even worse, it becomes an extravagance. Daily mindfulness practice (sitting still, listening to our own thoughts) can help remind us that we need play just as much as we need work in building healthy lives.
A major part of mindfulness is learning to do just one thing at a time. When you eat, eat. When you sleep, sleep. And when you play, play. Focus on one activity in each moment, at it can be amazing how much simpler life feels.
Mind Fuel Daily was founded to help readers find inspiration and purpose in every day. We believe that each person is capable of finding his or her best life here, in the present moment, and our mission is to provide the spark that moves you to positive action and thought.
