In this episode I cover what mindfulness is really all about, how it works and why I think you should start practicing it today.
Invitation for the week: Pick one thing you can do to start practicing mindfulness over the next week. Just one thing. Now, remember that your mind will wander. You will likely experience discomfort and more than likely judgement will try to sneak in. That’s okay, this is completely normal!
Quote of the week: “When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with joy, peace and love.” - Thich Nhat Hanh
Resources & References:
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program and Stress Reduction Clinic, he defines mindfulness as “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally. Mindfulness cultivates access to core aspects of our own minds and bodies that our very sanity depends on.”
How to start practicing mindfulness today:
- A great place to start is to take a moment throughout your day to simply notice and press pause — noticing your surroundings, your body, or your breath can be a great way to tune into the here and now. An effective way of doing this is to use your 5 senses. At any time, pause and notice your environment by using all of your senses. Observe what you feel, hear, see, smell and taste.
- You can tune into the present by noticing your breath. The breath is always in the present. Do this by noticing the rise and fall as you breathe in and out. Notice the breath entering through your nose and exiting through your nose. Don’t try to change it or hold it. Just notice it. Set a timer to practice this anywhere from 1 minute to 30 minutes.
- Meditation is a great place to start. I have some free, short guided meditations on my instagram account @fromjentozen that are perfect for beginners. You can also start by using Apps like Headspace or Insight Timer for free!
- Incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine: pick something you do every day like brushing your teeth. When you brush your teeth focus only on brushing your teeth. When your mind wanders bring it back by thinking ‘I am brushing my teeth’. See if you can become immersed in this task you do every day.
