A common theme surrounding improving your life and especially your mental and emotional health is doing meditation or mindfulness. But we are a big fan of doing both.
Each of these practices benefits you in a similar way, with a slightly different technique, but they blend beautifully into one life-changing practice.
Meditation and Mindfulness
These are similar practices, but done in slightly different ways. With meditation, you are most likely focusing on your breathing, closing your eyes, and trying to clear your mind. When you are practicing mindfulness, it is not done with your eyes closed, but instead when participating in another activity.
When to do meditation If you are in need of calming your mind, getting all the static out of your head, and are struggling with your excessive worrying and anxiety, meditation is a great option. It does take a bit more practice and patience, so don’t expect to master it on the first try.
When to practice mindfulness With mindfulness, it is easier to do on a regular basis, as you can participate in it more often. This is great if you struggle with a bad relationship with food, problem concentrating, issues with focusing too much on the past or future, or just to slow down and appreciate each moment in your life.
Start With a Simple Meditation Routine
If meditation interests you for your reset, start small with just a simple breathing or visualization exercise. Breathing exercises provide a way to meditate without putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect.
Just sit in a quiet room with the door closed, find a comfortable spot to sit down, and close your eyes. Just take the first couple minutes to sit quietly and let your thoughts dissipate. Once you feel more relaxed, begin focusing on your breathing.
Inhale and exhale slowly, feeling your diaphragm and focusing only on your breathing. Notice the sound and feeling of each breath as you breathe in and out. The more you concentrate on your breathing, the less you will focus on the intrusive thoughts.
Practice More Mindfulness
Being more mindful is a practice, but something that can benefit you so much. The great thing is that mindfulness can be done just about anywhere.
To be more mindful, you are simply acknowledging and appreciating the current moment. For example, when you are eating, you turn off distractions and focus on your food and the enjoyment you get from each bite. You are not thinking about the calories or what you plan to do after you eat, just focus on your meal.
Some other easy ways to practice mindfulness include:
- Turning off the radio and enjoying the sights when you are on a drive.
- Going for a walk and taking deep breaths to enjoy the fresh air.
- Letting your mind relax when you are in the bath or shower.
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