Everyday Mindfulness: How To Incorporate Mindfulness Into Your Life

Breathe, Eat, Walk

Mindfulness is the experience of the present moment, neither looking ahead nor dueling on the past. It can be liberating and often generates a peaceful feeling and in turn reduces stress. A common misconception is mindfulness = meditating while sitting on the ground with your eyes closed. Unfortunately, most people live an active life and may not have hours per day to sit, nor do they have the desire or ability to meditate in this way. This article gives some examples of how to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday routine. For more information, feel free to contact the clinic and/or look into the referenced book at the end of the article.

Breathe:

Close your eyes and become aware of the outermost part of your nostril.

Breathe through your nose and feel the cool air as it comes in and warm air as it goes out.

Try to breathe naturally without consciously lengthening your breath or slowing it down. Just breath and observe. Continue to follow the feeling of breathing into your abdomen. Let your breath be gentle and free, just observing what it feels like to breathe.

Eat:

First notice how your food smells. Close your eyes and allow your whole attention to be on the smell.

Look at the food. Notice the colors and the presentation.

Feel the saliva start to wet your tongue.

Take a small bite and notice how the food feels in your mouth, what’s the temperature, texture, taste?

Chew each bite at least 30 times, all the while noticing the taste and texture of the food.

Finally, swallow the food completely until your mouth is empty and notice how it feels in your belly.

Continue this with each bite.

Walk:

Find a place where you are out of the way, have plenty of space and are not in a rush to get anywhere, maybe when you’re waiting for something or someone.

Allow your breath to be easy and fluid. From standing, lift one foot and set it about 1 foot in front of you. It will feel like a short step.

As your foot touches the ground, notice where it first makes contact.

Slowly transfer the weight equally between the two feet.

Then slowly put all your weight into the foot stepping out until you lift the back foot off the ground completely.

Bring the back foot to meet the front one but don’t put weight on it. Continue to step out with it about one foot in front.

Repeat.

I highly recommend the book Peace is Every Step by Thich Naht Hahn for more examples of how to incorporate mindfulness into everyday life. Thich Naht Hahn is a practicing Buddhist, but his books are non-denominational.