Mindlessness Versus Mindfulness

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it”.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

In today’s fast-paced and technologically-infused society, it is easy to chronically be in “autopilot”, going through the motions of day to day life. Mindlessness is when life becomes bland and painfully routine. Mindlessness is when you let life happen to you, and missing out on opportunities to experience your one and only life.

Practicing mindfulness is a way of shifting out of autopilot and being a participant in ones’ own life. Instead of letting life happen, you are actively engaging in the present moment without any judgment of it being good or bad. You are not worrying about yesterday’s woes or tomorrow’s concerns. Being present, in the here-and-now, does not have to be complicated.

Just like any habit, mindfulness can easily become part of your daily routine. Being mindful can be as simple as taking 15 uninterrupted minutes to savor your coffee in the morning or feel the sun on your skin as you walk outside.

Being mindful can be petting your dog for five minutes without any distractions. Being mindful can be actually listening to everything your friend is telling you instead of interrupting mid-sentence with some advice.

Mindfulness does not require you to change who you are or what you do, it just means awakening to all that is in front of you. Being mindful is seeing the beautiful faces of those people you most love, feeling the beat to the music on your commute to work, and enjoying a quiet moment while you appreciate that you are truly alive.