Is your brain racing? Does it feel like no matter what you do, you just can’t get it to stop? Perhaps you’re worried about what to do next? Maybe you’re busy thinking about all the possibilities and wondering if there’s one you *should* pursue?
That feeling, like your mind is spinning in circles, like it’s almost spinning out of control…It’s totally overwhelming!
And that’s why… It is time to give yourself a break!
Now. Not after you’ve finished reading this post. Right now!
Close your eyes. Count to 10 as you breathe in and out. Focus on the rise and fall of your chest. The sensation of air moving through your nose or mouth.
Did you do it? Do it. Nothing bad will happen. It’s only 10 seconds. And, you’ll have started—not just read about starting—you’ll have actually started already! So, if you didn’t really do it, I invite you to do it now. Let yourself just focus on your breath for these next 10 seconds.
Ok. Great job! You did it!
Now that you’ve gotten a taste of mindfulness, let’s talk about how to build a daily mindfulness practice and why in the world you’d want to do that.
WHAT IS *MINDFULNESS* REALLY?
Mindfulness is the act of brining your attention or awareness into the here and now, into the body, into the present on the most basic level possible.
WHY NOT JUST KEEP GOING WITH THE STATUS QUO?
All those moments when your thoughts are buzzing, when your heart’s pounding, all those moments when your brain is racing are exhausting you and actually bringing more stress into your life.
In those moments your racing brain has you convinced that in order to survive, in order to be happy or successful, you *need* to be thinking about what you’re thinking about. The racing brain tricks you into in a *Stress Loop* that keeps your brain racing but not actually functioning on your behalf.
Here’s what it looks like:
Your racing brain gets an A+ for effort, but its arguments are hurting you, not helping you. And, the worst part of this loop is that once you’re in it, it can keep going and going if you don’t find a way to bring yourself out of it.
The reason so many people live in this loop is that the racing brain can be pretty convincing. After all, it may feel like this constant brain buzz is helping you meet deadlines at work or keeping you from forgetting things or falling behind.
But, the truth is that staying in this brain spinning state will make it more likely that you’ll miss out on moments of joy or celebration. When your brain is so used to racing in this way, you may not even realize that you’re not fully experiencing the beautiful moments in your life that could actually be peaceful, love-filled, and deeply satisfying if you were fully present in the here and now. Years into your career, like so many of my clients describe when we first start working together, you’ll find yourself unfulfilled and contemplating whether or not the way you’re spending your time is truly meaningful.
Living in this frantic state makes it nearly impossible to achieve your most meaningful life goals or make your dreams a reality.
The truth is… Confidence and clarity come from the peace of self-awareness, from acceptance of yourself in this very moment. Fulfillment and joy come from being attuned to yourself and your surroundings, opening your awareness to include your heart, body, and spirit, being fully present in your life, and living your truth without self-judgment or self-doubt.
The first step to breaking free from stress and overwhelm is starting your new mindfulness practice.
WHAT IS THE SIMPLEST WAY TO START A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE?
This is going to be really simple. There are just two steps; and you already did step 1!
Step 1: Close your eyes. Count to 10 as you breathe in and out. Focus on the rise and fall of your chest. The sensation of air moving through your nose or mouth.
If you don’t like this method of focusing on the breath as you count to 10, you can choose instead to close your eyes and focus on one of your 5 physical senses, like sound perhaps, just listening to all the sounds around you in this place in this moment. You can do this for 10 seconds, or you may choose to do it for a minute or even 10.
Step 2: Repeat every day, either at the same time or in response to the same cue.
In order to actually build a regular mindfulness practice that you’ll be able to do every day, start small and set aside one or two specific times a day when you know you can actually do it.
You might choose first thing in the morning while you’re still in bed, before you’ve reached for your phone or even gotten up to go to the bathroom, before other things have a chance to distract you.
Quick Tips to Make it a Habit:
- Create a little reminder. Keep it simple. It might be a note that simply says “breathe.” Or you might select a pebble just for this.
- Put your reminder somewhere where it will actually cue you to do a quick round of mindfulness. Put it on top of your phone when you go to sleep so you have to touch it before checking texts and Facebook in the morning. Or put it in your pocket, allowing every time you feel it to act as a cue for you to do another 10 second mindfulness round. Or put it on your bathroom mirror or right next to your sink to remind you to do it every time you wash your hands.
- Take a minute to reflect on your new practice at the end of the day. What’s it like to start this? Why is giving your brain a few seconds of calm every day something you really want to get into the habit of doing? Are you starting to notice any changes? Do you want to try to do more rounds next week?
- Celebrate with someone. Let your friend, partner, or coach know you’re motivated to start this new practice and the results you’re hoping to see. Bring someone into it with you who will be excited to hear when you start to feel a change.
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HOW DOES MINDFULNESS ACTUALLY WORK? WHY CLOSE THE EYES?
The simple act of closing the eyes at the start of a mindfulness practice shifts your awareness to the present moment and to your attention itself. It allows you to notice where your attention is, take the wheel, and choose where you want to direct it. This is the difference between closing our eyes before sleep but still having our brain race and choosing to close our eyes to begin our mindfulness practice—we are choosing to do so, conscious of our intention in the moment, reminding ourselves that we have the power to choose where we put our attention—it doesn’t happen to us—we can make a choice.
WHAT RESULTS DOES A DAILY MINDFULNESS PRACTICE BRING?
Starting a regular mindfulness practice can be the first step in setting off a chain reaction that can lead to you living a life you truly LOVE, each and every day:
ONCE YOU’VE ESTABLISHED A CONSISTENT DAILY MINDFULNESS PRACTICE, YOU’RE READY TO START GOING ON SOME AMAZING NEW ADVENTURES!
- Start choosing your thoughts. Get your brain working for you rather than against you.
- Get clear on what you really want from your life, what will truly make you happy & fulfilled.
- Begin creating a plan and taking action so you can achieve your goals and live your dreams!
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT. YOU CAN CHOOSE A LIFE YOU LOVE, EACH AND EVERY DAY!
Do you have questions about starting your own mindfulness practice? Want to expand yours to include other formats and to more fully integrate mindfulness into your daily life? Leave a comment or send an email! Would love to hear from you! And don’t forget to share with friends, family, colleagues you think might enjoy this quick and easy approach!
I invite you to be gentle with yourself as you ease into your new mindfulness practice.
Wishing you a life you LOVE, today and every day,
