…a simple, natural, everyday thing.
Like “wellness,” the term “mindfulness” can sometimes be convoluted, confusing, and intimidating – like what exactly is it, and how / when / why do I do it?
In an aim to simplify things as of late, alongside my studies and experiences, I’ve been thinking of mindfulness as uncomplicated, everyday acts of paying attention.
Merriam-Webster defines mindfulness as :
1: the quality or state of being mindful
2: the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis
also : such a state of awareness
I started thinking about this last week when I dusted off my old sewing machine to make sachets out of fabric from an old childhood costume, which I filled with dried lavender I brought back months ago from Germany (a nice little eco gift hack!).
Although it was a fairly simple task, it demanded my full attention, which reminded me that the act of sewing – among other things – is a fun, creative way to practice mindfulness.
For a while I felt (i.e. worried) that I absolutely must be mindful via strict rituals like meditation, journaling, Ayurvedic self-care routines, and more in order to enhance and be the optimal version of myself.
If I failed to complete these tasks, then I figured I wasn’t doing a “good job” of being a conscious yogi / teacher / human (a sad and judgmental story, but true).
Although the outcome of mindfulness practices like meditation – and many others – can in fact result in feeling more elevated and being a decent citizen of the world (or at least making the effort), they won’t result in much if we are “should”-ing or pressuring ourselves to be mindful all the time.
It took me a while to realize that, even though these practices are important and impactful, mindfulness can be part of daily life in ways that go beyond rigid rituals; it can range from a special spiritual act to an everyday mundane activity.
For example: it is natural that we are always aware of something – whether we’re aware of a task at hand or our daydreams and inner voices – and we can take that awareness to the next level by infusing it with more conscious, non-judgmental, and intentional thoughts, which leads to what I consider to be mindfulness.
Per the dictionary definition above – I feel that awareness can become mindfulness when we make a conscious decision and effort toward that which we focus on (i.e. zoning out of or judging the present moment versus being grounded and alert in the present moment – feelings, sounds, sensations, etc).
Although meditation is a great way to practice mindfulness, we can also aim to be mindful – calmly and consciously aware of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it – throughout our day, from moment to moment.
Whether you’re sitting still or actively in motion, doing yoga or washing a dish, listening or speaking – you can be mindful.
Sometimes we can pause and consciously practice mindfulness for a long period of time; sometimes we can pause in the present moment and take a conscious breath or just pay attention to our surroundings / our experience for a brief moment.
All it takes to practice mindfulness is an intention and commitment to guide the attention back to the present moment (sewing the fabric) – even if you’re thinking about the future (the final outcome of the sewn fabric) – over and over again.
It might occasionally feel better to check out and avoid being mindful if we’re feeling stressed, sad, or in physical pain – we all do it, and sometimes it’s necessary until we’re in a safe place to move through it.
The more we practice mindfulness of our experience, however, the more easily we’ll be able to pay attention and be mindful of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, whether it’s comfortable or not.
This can have a tremendously beneficial effect on our nervous system by learning how to remain as calm and as present as possible in lieu of stressing anxiously about the unknown – which can support our health, relationships, career paths, and beyond.
It can also have a meaningful effect on how we experience and appreciate life – whether it helps us to better understand and move through the difficult moments (including the lessons we learn from them), or fills us with deep gratitude for the wonderful people / moments and how they nourish us.
Bonus: because mindfulness can result in a clearer comprehension of how we treat ourselves, it naturally ripples into the way we treat others and our planet – all of which can benefit from a bit more attention, compassion, and conscious action.
All in all: mindfulness can be natural, simple, and feasible every single day – from sewing to sitting in meditation – so long as we set the intention and make the effort to give it a go.
*Enjoy my free / donation-based guided meditations on Insight Timer.
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How and when might you practice being mindful this week?
Take good care,
S
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