7 Simple Ways to Practice Mindfulness + 5 Reasons Why You Should

5.8K

What are you feeling?

Not HOW are you feeling.

I mean WHAT are you feeling?

Do you feel the ground under your feet? Your chest rising with each inhale?

We often don’t notice what we’re feeling because our mind is preoccupied with other thoughts and emotions. So we don’t fully feel or notice what’s so obviously there. 

Until we invite awareness into our life. 

That awareness comes from practicing mindfulness. If you don’t have experience with this, don’t be intimidated. Everyone can learn to practice mindfulness. And once you do, it’ll come naturally and quickly.

In this post, you’ll discover:

• Ways to practice mindfulness. (And all of them can be done in 5 minutes or less.)
• The benefits of mindfulness experienced by people who utilize it.
• Inspiration to be mindful in hopes of slowing the fast-paced world so you can be present in your life.

First, let’s start with the basics.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a mental state we can attain by bringing our attention to where we are right now. It utilizes our senses to help us become fully present.

We increase our awareness of our thoughts, emotions and sensations. But. We do not judge them. Mindfulness is a place where we observe, without passing judgement. 

It can be incredibly useful in reducing stress, igniting inspiration, assessing the well-being of ourselves and others, and gaining understanding and wisdom.

Let’s elaborate on why you shouldn’t wait to practice mindfulness.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you!

5 Brilliant Benefits of Mindfulness

When you welcome mindfulness into your life, you invite all the positive results that come with it. And there are a lot of them! But let’s focus on five that I’ve found to be the most impactful.

1. Lower Stress and Anxiety

This is how mindfulness stepped into my life. Mindfulness is proven to have a positive impact on our mental health. And through interventions such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) can be used to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. 

Related: How I use bilateral music to reduce anxiety—includes a free playlist.

2. Enhance Focus

With so many things going on in our lives, it’s often hard to stay focused and be present for any one task. Mindfulness (and meditation) can improve our focus by limiting distractions and pulling our attention back to the task (or thought) at hand.

3. Increase Self-Awareness and Self-Compassion

Spending time in brief mindfulness exercises or meditation allow us to quietly observe all that passes through our mind without judgment. And as a result, our self-awareness grows. With that awareness, our self-compassion has opportunities to blossom as we accept all parts of who we are right now: our thoughts, feelings and decisions.

4. Rejoice in the Present

Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, defines mindfulness as follows, “mindfulness is paying attention, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment.” When we practice mindfulness, we utilize strategies to become more aware of this moment. We stop worrying about what has to get done in the future, or what happened in the past. We receive permission to be present.

5. Improve Sleep

Whether it’s scrolling through social media before bed, or our fears and worries from the day becoming louder at night, many of us struggle with falling asleep and staying asleep. Mindfulness practices before bed or even during the day can improve our sleep quality.

Related: 3 Short Mindfulness Exercises to Beat Sleepless Nights

All of this sounds great, right? The best part is that each of us has the ability to enjoy the benefits of mindfulness! First, we need to stretch our mindful muscles!

7 Simple Ways to Practice Mindfulness

Although we all have the ability to be mindful, it takes repetition and consistency to become comfortable using it.

After completing these practices a few times, it eventually became second nature.

Once that happens, you can pull out any one of these in times of stress, anxiety, sadness and even times of joy. Basically, anytime you feel a difference in your body or mind, check in on yourself using these.

Here are 7 practical ways to practice mindfulness.

1. Become Aware, but not Demanding, of Your Breath

If I told you to “breathe” right now, you’d probably take a big breath in. And then let it whoosh out. And while taking a deep breath is definitely helpful, let’s try something slightly different.

We breathe all day every day. It’s part of what makes us function. It’s so common that we forget we’re doing it. 

Until now. 

Until you know mindfulness. 

When mindfulness becomes a part of your life, you suddenly become BFFs with your breath.

Let’s call our attention to our breathing. Is it fast and shallow? Deep and slow? 

Whatever your breath is doing, don’t judge why you’re breathing a certain way. Just notice it. 

Take several moments to feel your body moving with your breath. Feel your chest expand. Your shoulders rise. Your belly inflate. Then feel it all relax as you exhale. 

The longer we stay here, communing with our breath, notice our breathing deepen and our mind quiet.

Now, let’s ask our lungs to take a few deep breaths. Here’s how:

• Sit up straight or lay down and close your eyes if you wish.
• Breathe deeply and slowly through your nose. 
• Hold for only a brief moment, and then exhale slowly, letting the air out through your nose. 
• Do this a few times and if it’s all you have time for, stop and continue about your day. Otherwise, keep going.
• As you inhale, think about the fresh, new air filling up your lungs with positivity, peace and hope. 
• As you exhale, think about sending any thoughts, stress, worries or tension out of your body with your breath. 

Take moments throughout your day to be mindful of your breath. It’s hard to start breathing deeply on command—especially when you’re anxious, upset or have a lot on your mind. So start by gently reacquainting yourself with your breath.

By focusing your attention on only your breath, you’ve left distractions in the dust, and can enjoy and be present in this moment.

2. Do One Thing at a Time—Press Pause on Distractions

Disclaimer: This is one of my most-used ways to practice mindfulness and has changed my life.

As you go about your daily responsibilities, you’ll notice your mind begins to wander to other things you need to do, emotions you feel, or worries you have. When this happens, press pause on those thoughts, feelings and worries. 

They are distracting you from the present. 

If you’re folding laundry, fold laundry. If you’re paying bills, pay bills. 

If you have a hard time focusing on the task at hand, use your senses to stay there. When you read to your child before bed, listen to the story you’re reading. When you wash the dishes, become aware of the warm water against your skin. 

Author Gary Keller writes in his book The One Thing, “It is those who concentrate on but one thing at a time who advance in this world.” He also writes, “Multitasking is a lie.” 

Although this post isn’t about “advancing in this world,” his words can help us be mindful. If you’re playing with your kids, but also answering emails and folding laundry, you’re not able to focus 100% of your attention to any one of those tasks. And therefore, you aren’t able to be 100% present for any one of those either.

But in a busy world (where busy parents like myself—and many of you—need to keep up with busy kids), doing only one thing at a time seems unproductive and even unrealistic.

However, for those of us who want (or need) to slow time, stress less, worry less, and be more present, doing one thing at a time is the only way to remain in the moment.

Let me repeat that.

The only way to keep your focus on the present moment is to do one thing at a time.

So when those distractions pop up, don’t get angry or criticize yourself. Just guide your thoughts and senses back to whatever it is you’re doing. And stay there as long as you’d like to remain in the present.

3. Pay Attention to Your Senses

Remember at the beginning of this post when I asked, “What do you feel?” I invited you to check in with your senses. 

Throughout your day, let your senses take over. Here’s how:

• Notice what you hear. First, notice the sounds closest to you. Then as you get comfortable, notice sounds further away you hadn’t heard before. Don’t worry about naming what you hear, instead listen to the sound surrounding you. For example, if you hear a dog barking, rather than thinking “dog,” process the sound as “bark, bark.” You’re less likely to have stray thoughts take over if you notice the sounds instead of judging where they’re coming from.
• Notice what you touch. Start with whatever is under you. Whether it’s a chair, the couch, the bed, a rug, or the grass, let your sense of touch assess the feeling of it. Think about sinking into it, and then notice how it feels against your body. Is it smooth? Sturdy? Soft? Then move up your body and let your legs and arms feel the air moving around you. Don’t worry about identifying what you’re touching, just take in the sensations you feel.
• Notice what you smell. Similar to what you hear and touch, let your nose take in your surroundings. And again, don’t worry about labeling what it is you smell. Just allow yourself to experience the scents around you right now.
• Notice what you taste. I can’t tell you how often I eat something but don’t think about what I’m tasting. I often read a book, watch the kids or do things around the house while I eat. I forget to invite my taste buds to join me for the meal. To tap into your sense of taste, bring your awareness to the texture and flavors you’re eating. Acknowledging your sense of taste is one step closer to eating mindfully. And when we eat mindfully, it becomes easier to listen to our body’s cues of hunger and fullness.
• Notice what you see. I saved sight for last. We look at things all day. But, when you bring your awareness fully to what’s around you, you begin to notice things you’ve never paid attention to before. Look down and see the details in what’s below you. Look up and notice the details of the ceiling or the trees or the sky. 

When we’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious, opening up our senses slows the world down. It allows us to be mindful by experiencing the present moment instead of falling deeper into our thoughts. Absorbing our senses helps us reset and gain perspective.

4. Understand What it Means to be Nonjudgmental

This may be one of the more complex ways to practice mindfulness, but let me break it down for you before you skim over it.

As we begin to discover our world and our innermost selves more deeply, we find intense emotions and thoughts. And a natural response is to judge what we uncover.

But a crucial part of being mindful is being nonjudgmental. 

Remember the quote I referenced earlier from Jon Kabat-Zinn: “mindfulness is paying attention, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment.”

But I know what you’re wondering. “Since judgement is a natural part of our minds, how do we not judge?”

Let’s explore.

When I’m practicing mindfulness, I find there are two parts to being nonjudgmental.

• Not Reacting to Judgments. We judge things as good and bad or sometimes nothing at all. And when we judge something, we feel we have to react to it. If it’s good, we follow it, if it’s bad, we may run or hide from it. If it’s neutral, we ignore it. But what’s important to note here is that when we pass judgment, it’s usually followed by the need to react or to do something because of it. And when we react, our attention to the present is pulled away.
• Not Passing Judgment on Myself. I’ll be the first to admit, there are thoughts in my head I’d never share with someone else. They make me feel downright mortified for thinking them! But! Remember. Practicing mindfulness means paying attention without passing judgment—on our thoughts, surroundings and ourselves. For those of us who suffer from low self-esteem and self-confidence, or who battle a barbaric inner critic, this can be challenging. But it’s a necessary skill when practicing mindfulness.

When either of these forms of judgment happen during a mindfulness practice, my mind forms opinions and intense emotions and thoughts. These increase my anxiety, stress and worries. Passing judgment takes me far from the calm of the present moment I’m trying so desperately to stay in.

Here’s how we can pass on judgments as they arise during our mindfulness practice:

• As thoughts come and go through your head, notice when judgments come up. 
• Acknowledge any feelings your body or mind has in relation to the judgment.
• Then gently let the thought pass with the judgment. If you labeled it as “good” or “bad,” let it go without reacting (or following) it.
• And lastly, let it go without judging yourself for thinking the thought or feeling the emotion. 

Judgments will happen during periods of mindfulness. But as you continue to practice, you’ll learn to notice judgments and let them continue on their way without reacting to them.

5. Find the Blessings—Practice Gratitude

I hate it when I’m upset or jealous or feeling sorry for myself and my husband pipes up with, “Think of all you have to be thankful for.” 

It’s so annoying.

Buuuut. He’s right. (Don’t tell him I said that.) *wink*

We’ve all experienced hardship. Misery. Tragedy. Loss. Trauma. Life is full of misfortunes. 

Practicing gratitude pulls our attention away from those hardships and directs it to the blessings in our life. 

Finding what we have to be thankful for doesn’t take much work. Brene Brown, the author of one of my favorite books Daring Greatly, said “I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness—it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”

Here are a few ways we can look for gratitude in our life:

• Before falling asleep, think of at least one thing positive about your day. Relive that moment, identifying why you’re thankful for it.
• Talk or text with someone you care for. Let that person know how much you appreciate them.
• Become aware of your breath. Become aware of your body and all of its abilities. Consider the gift of life and that it’s been bestowed upon you. Not everyone is so fortunate.

Practicing gratitude doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to everything bad in your life. 

We can’t stop how we feel. So don’t punish yourself for feeling sad, angry, or anything else. Actually, be thankful that you allow yourself to feel intense emotion. The ability to tap into our innermost feelings is a gift. Be grateful you possess that gift.

And although we can’t control how we feel, we can control how we react to those feelings. When we’re feeling down, or anxious, it’s easy to let our thoughts run away with negativity and worst-case scenarios. If we keep focusing on our hardships, we relive them, instead of living in the present. 

Practicing mindfulness helps us cope with all the bad stuff that gets thrown our way by reacting with acceptance and compassion. It also helps us tune in more deeply to all the good stuff by bringing our awareness to the many blessings in our life right now.

6. Go Outside—Your Problems Will Feel Smaller

Once you leave the house and get under an endless sky—rather than a low ceiling—it’s amazing how much smaller we (and our problems) feel. 

There’s an unforgettable moment in Disney’s Tangled when Rapunzel leaves her tower for the first time. Her eyes light up when the grass slips between her toes. And she wears a huge, wide smile as she splashes through the water of the creek. 

The song she sings (“When Will My Life Begin?” Reprise 2, performed by Mandy Moore) gives us an idea of how present she is in that moment and how thankful she is to be outside:

“Just smell the grass! The dirt! Just like I dreamed they’d be!

Just feel that summer breeze – the way it’s calling me

For like the first time ever, I’m completely free!

I could go running

And racing

And dancing

And chasing

And leaping

And bounding

Hair flying

Heart pounding

And splashing

And reeling

And finally feeling

That’s when my life begins!”

The next time you leave your front door, try seeing the outdoors as if you’re looking at it for the first time. 

Being outside connects us to nature and other living things. And similar to Rapunzel, when we get outside our house, we gain an appreciation for the world around us. Fresh air to breathe, new paths to explore, bright sights to see. 

Here are a few ways to practice mindfulness when you’re outside:

• Take a walk and notice the feel of the ground under your feet or shoes.
• Sit or lay in the sun for a few minutes. Close your eyes and focus on how your skin feels under the warmth. 
• Be in or around water—whether it’s dipping your feet in the ocean, swimming in the pool, or letting the garden hose splash over your hand. Become aware of how the water moves around your body and how the little bubbles or currents push against your skin.
• Get up close to see nature at work. Witness the ants along a stem of a bush. The ladybug take off from its leaf. The butterfly flit around the blooms. Notice all of these little beings living and going about their day.

And lastly, when you open that front door and step outside, be like Rapunzel and belt out your favorite song! 

Just kidding!

Maybe pass on the singing (unless you feel really inspired). But take in your surroundings. Bring your awareness to the present moment and connect with the beauty of nature and other living things.

7. Start with a Simple, Short Mindfulness Exercise or Meditation

I rolled my eyes the first time my therapist asked me to try meditation or mindfulness exercises. 

And because I was skeptical, I struggled a lot longer than I needed to. 

So, in case you feel intimidated, let’s start small and simple. 

This mindfulness exercise is called a body scan. It’s a common practice and helps us connect to our physical body by bringing our awareness to individual body parts.

You’ll need at least 3 minutes to dedicate to this. And if you want to spend longer, feel free. Sometimes I’ll take anywhere from 5-30 minutes to do mindfulness exercises. 

Here’s how to do a simple body scan:

1. Start by laying or sitting down. If you want to do this while standing, that’s fine too. 
2. Close your eyes.
3. Bring your awareness to your body. Notice any surface it’s touching (a bed, a chair, the ground). And slowly let your body melt further into that surface.
4. Take a few breaths in this relaxed state before moving on. 
5. Now take a slow, deep breath and imagine the air entering your body is bringing new life and energy. As you exhale, let your body sink further into relaxation.
6. Inhale and bring your awareness to your feet. Notice how they feel against the ground and as you exhale, let them relax. 
7. On your next inhale, become aware of your legs and any aches that may be there. As you exhale, let those soften.
8. Notice your back now. Let your inhale travel along your spine, discovering any tension. Exhale and let the breath gently massage and loosen your back.
9. Move to your stomach, feeling it expand with your inhale. Let it sink as the breath leaves your body.
10. Focus on your chest now. Allowing it to rise with the inhale. As you exhale, imagine the breath caressing your heart. 
11. Bring your attention to your arms and hands. Feel any sensations within and on them as you inhale. And let them become heavy as you exhale.
12. Inhale and send your breath to your shoulders and neck. Become aware of tightness or stress and as you exhale, let the muscles loosen and relax.
13. Now notice your facial muscles as you inhale. As you exhale, let your jaw and forehead soften.
14. Take another deep breath, becoming aware of your entire body. As you exhale, sink further into relaxation. 
15. Then, when you’re ready, open your eyes. 

There are many ways to meditate and perform mindfulness exercises. Whenever I feel stressed, worried or anxious, I rely on ones like this to soothe me and return to the present.

---

In Conclusion, What Ways Can You Practice Mindfulness?

Imagine letting go of your worries—even for a few minutes. 

Imagine looking your child in the eyes and actively listening to them, because you paused your other actions and thoughts.

Imagine feeling a deep connectedness to yourself and the world immediately around you.

These are the benefits of mindfulness. These are the gifts mindfulness grants us. And these are all totally achievable! 

Remember, anyone can practice mindfulness.

After experiencing two miscarriages and learning I suffered from PTSD, practicing mindfulness saved me. Connecting to my mind and body helps me stay centered when the world is spiraling out of control around me. 

If a busy mom of three, with depression, PTSD and anxiety can learn to practice mindfulness, I’m confident you can too. 

You’ve read 7 practices I use. But now, I’d love to hear from you! Please share in the comments below your favorite ways to practice mindfulness!

Stay mindful, even when your mind’s full!
~Chelsea

P.S. Looking for more posts about mindfulness? Try these:

• How to Be Mindful Today: A Guide for Beginners to Find Peace
• Enchanting Mindfulness Books for Kids – With Kids’ Honest Reviews
• How to Walk Mindfully – A Walking Meditation for Serenity