5 Tips to Start Daily Mindful Practices

Getting started is the hardest thing we will ever come across. Keeping the habit is even harder than that. Nonetheless, once you develop the habit, it's always one of the best things you have done for yourself. Today we will explore about how we can start practicing mindfulness and build the mindfulness muscle in ourselves. Here are 5 tips to get started on Mindfulness.

1. Begin a gratitude journal 

We often ponder on the things life forgets to give us and on the bad that happens to us. We often forget to be thankful for the good things we receive in our life. These good things can be our family, our friends, the food you get on your table every day, the shelter we have above our heads, and the stranger who was kind to you, are things we forget to appreciate when we are thinking about the bad things. Take a moment every day in the morning or in the evening to count these blessings in your life and be grateful - you can start by writing them down in a notebook, and show your gratitude for all the good things despite their size or their weight.

2. Practice mindful breathing exercises

Your awareness of the present moment is so important when it comes to practicing mindfulness. Our mind can easily get distracted, one moment you are where you are and the next moment within seconds it can wonder off to the other end of the world. For us to stay focused, our mind needs to stay on the present moment. Meditation and breathing exercises are most helpful to practice mindfulness. Choose a comfortable place and sit in a good position, and close your eyes. Forget about the things happening around you and focus on your breathing. Count every breath you inhale and do this for a few times. If your mind wanders off, stop for a minute and start again. Keep doing the same everyday, and you will start to notice your focus has improved.

3. Take a nature walk

Find time to go for a nature walk - this might be your own home garden or the nearby park or down the street, it's okay, you don't have to really go for a trail walk. Notice the sky, the wild flowers on the sidewalk, the breeze and the noises around you - you may find it disturbing to hear the sound of vehicles or the sound of kids playing around, but, listen and notice. Take time to appreciate what's going on around you. This will boost your brain performance and reduce your stress. It will also be beneficial and have a good repercussion on your physical and mental health - most importantly your mindfulness.

4. Practice present moment awareness

Present moment awareness can be practiced through formal methods such as meditation as well as through informal methods such as while you are doing your daily chorus. You can live in the present moment and develop awareness within yourself towards the present moment. You can eat mindfully, cook or bake mindfully and even sit in silence mindfully. You can pay attention to the sensory experiences through smell and sounds as well as physical experiences like touch and sight. Engaging fully in your daily activities may bring you present moment awareness by making you feel more grounded and tranquil.

5. Start daily digital detox periods

Wondering what is digital detoxing? Digital detoxing is a period you find yourself getting detached from your digital devices and taking a break from screens. I started the practice digital detox around 2 years ago by not checking my phone the minute I wake up. I will only check my phone after 30 minutes of waking up only. This is a hard habit to practice, but once you start you will find it quiet refreshing. Also, you can set time in the evening, where you will detach yourself from screens and go offline to read a book or to take a walk or anything that keeps you away from screens. You can also practice this at night 30 minutes before the bed time. You can mute your notifications or log out from the social apps as a start. Digital detox will eventually help you to improve your sleep, relationships and mood while it improves your mindfulness.

These 5 simple tips to start daily mindful practices will help you to start developing your mindful muscle and to feel the difference it will bring to your life. 

I will be back soon.