Mindfulness has become one of the things that many people aspire to have in their respective lifestyles. Some even stated that it is all the rage these days when times are a lot more trying and challenging.
While there are tons of techniques and practices that you can do to be mindful, most individuals do not understand the base and underlying factors that affect mindfulness in its entirety. So, if you want to be mindful and you don’t know where to start, these are seven secrets you must learn.
1. Mindfulness and relaxation strategies are very different
There is a definite fine line between mindfulness and relaxation practices. Keep in mind that these are two different things, and most people today have mistaken them as similar things. People who are relaxed can easily be mindful and be present at the moment. But, for people who directly go into mindfulness practices, there is a huge chance that they cannot be relaxed at all. Without relaxation, trying to be present and mindful is quite difficult.
So, if you want to practice mindfulness, you have to start doing relaxation practices, first.
2. No one is an expert in mindfulness
If you are trying to be mindful at all times, and there are instances when you cannot reach your goal of being present at the moment, do not be discouraged. You should keep in mind that every practitioner of mindfulness strategies and techniques also has similar experiences even though they are already in the game for a much longer period of time. In short, no one is an expert, and mindfulness practice is a life-long journey.
There will always be up and downtimes, so you should not think of your “nonperformance” as a failure. You have to understand that no one can perfect mindfulness as there will always be distractions. You will only succeed in the practice if you were able to go back to your goal even after getting distracted, and that is the main point of being mindful.
3. Label your thoughts and feelings
Observing and letting go of your thoughts, and sometimes unnecessary emotions, are a good practice to become mindful of. There are other more effective ways to do it that will even help you further on a long-term basis. One of the best ways is to label your thoughts and feelings depending on how you want them. This practice will assist you in raising your awareness of what thoughts and feelings truly matter in your life. In the long run, this is helpful in revolutionizing your habitual thought patterns, allowing you to have more optimistic perspectives and empowering thoughts.
You may do it by thinking of the labels to yourself. You may also try listing it all down, or even visualizing the labels. To start this practice, you may begin with two labels: useful and not useful. Eventually, try to diversify your labels to further help you organize and control your thoughts.
4. Be compassionate
Compassion is another simple yet powerful practice to achieve effective mindfulness. But, it is worth noting that this focuses mainly on being compassionate toward yourself. Pay attention to how you talk to and think of yourself. When the time comes that you attack yourself with negative thoughts due to your own reasons, like failing a task or making a mistake, instead of pinning it all down to yourself, do a pep talk to yourself in the same way as you comfort your friends or family members.
Most people forget about being kind toward themselves, causing more worries and anxieties. In Zenfulspirit, which a platform that provides tips and actual practices, cultivating self-compassion is one of the top things that the in-house experts recommend many people to do as it truly helps.
5. Disconnect every day
Disconnecting every day is another mindfulness secret that most people forget to follow. While it is already an established practice that can revolutionize one’s life, many individuals find it hard to do it. But, despite the difficulties, you should understand that being connected at all times just causes distractions and thought-provoking moments. It is overwhelming, and it builds up clutter.
In this day and age, where digitalization has become a huge part of everyone’s life, disconnection is the golden key to having a peaceful, organized, and clutter-free mind and life. You may want to start doing this if you want to be mindful.
6. Mindfulness meditation practice can be either guided or unguided
Meditation is also a good technique to achieve effective mindfulness. While some want to have unguided meditation practices, others prefer to have a guide. Whatever the case, though, both techniques are effective and helpful. So, this should not matter at all as long as the technique that you are doing has positive impacts on your overall mindfulness practice.
7. Our mind can process 126 pieces of information every second
The human mind has the capacity to process information at a very high rate. Based on studies, a conscious, fully-functioning mind can work on 126 bits of data per second.
This is why many of the small details in our daily lives no longer register in our heads. While filtering is a great way to become effectively mindful, you must be aware of which information and data should ultimately reach your mind.
There is no doubt that practicing mindfulness is difficult and challenging. But, by learning all the basic points, you can easily start with your goals of being mindful.