Ways to Be More Mindful — Practice Mindfulness Daily
I’ve been practicing mindfulness for 5 years and I don’t strive to be perfectly mindful throughout the whole day. I’m aware that a lot of us strive to be the perfect Zen master, and we often feel shameful for not keeping up with mindfulness. That’s why it can be common for us to experience blocks like a limitation in time, energy, and space but it’s okay to permit ourselves to be gentle. So feel free to incorporate these practices in your way in your unfolding. I try my best to commit to these practices as much as I can in the present moment through intentional practice. At times I’m not able to do so and that’s okay.
I would rush everywhere, now I take my step slowly and with intention. My pace became slower and I started noticing my surroundings more. There is so much striving and rushing, but when I finally invite peace, I can be more grounded and connected with this Earth. Sitting meditation is the simple practice of being attentive to our physical sensations and thoughts while sitting upright. If I have negative emotions, I simply let my anger, irritation, and pain flow through me without being too attached to it. I can practice this when I’m working at a cafe, traveling, resting, and everywhere I choose to be. I can adjust my posture and try my best to sit upright. But I also struggle with keeping up with it. So it’s okay to do what is comfortable for our own body.
Bell of mindfulness is teaching from Thay’s tradition. I set up a timer on my phone that rings throughout the day. So that I can remind myself to breathe deeply and to return to the present moment. If I’m stressed out and rushing the day, the bell rings and I remember to let tightness melt away and to take conscious breaths.
Practicing mindfulness and self-care does require knowledge, commitment, and time. When I was first starting, it was difficult to absorb all the information I wanted to know about mindfulness and self-help in a limited time. Especially when I was feeling overwhelmed with work and didn’t know where to start. Practicing mindful learning is so important in my practice. Resting is so nourishing and healing to the mind, body, and spirit. I know that work and household chores can feel so overwhelming. So resting and taking the time to simply be without doing anything can be truly nourishing and energizing. It’s very strange how being and existing becomes so difficult when we are so used to stimulation and excitement.
I can drink tea by myself or with friends. It is truly nourishing to wash away the suffering and pain with the gentleness of tea and to be here in the present moment where beauty and happiness dwells. I usually go for non-caffeinated herbal tea like raspberry leaf, peppermint, dandelion, and calendula. Comment down below: what your favorite tea is that makes you feel nourished and peaceful? I like to be mindful through the whole process of boiling the water, adding the leaf, pouring gently, and enjoying the tea.
Mindful listening changed my life approach and relationships. It is the practice of deep listening without judgment and criticism. When I practice mindful listening, I do not give advice, interrupt, or argue and I simply listen with compassion. Loving speech or right speech is the practice of speaking and thinking with compassion without discrimination, criticism, or hatred. We all live in different ways and we all think in different ways. So I do not try so hard to convince others that I am right and that my life is the only way towards happiness. I speak with intention and compassion. I practice the Five Contemplations from the teachings of Thay during lunchtime.
Eating mindfully is chewing slowly, being mindful of the flavors, and having an appreciation for all the resources used in bringing food to this table. So I try my best to eat slowly without rushing too much. But it does get difficult at times when I’m excited to eat my favorite meals!
Mindful breathing is simply being aware of the breath. I do not try too hard to take super deep breaths all the time. Because awareness is what matters most to me. When I’m rushing and feeling stressed, I just remember that I have the peaceful rhythm of my breath to return to. I continue to practice the 4–7–8 breathing technique. I am truly grateful that meditation is widely known and practiced by many people. I prefer a short 10 to 15-minute meditation in the morning to set the day on the path of peace. If you find it difficult to commit to any of these practices, just a 5 min meditation is good enough to get you started especially if you are new to mindfulness. That was the case for me when I first started. So I hope that you find the energy to start your healing through meditation.
At home, I simply permit myself to enjoy deep silence by avoiding distractions. I simply sit, lie down, work, or do chores, without speaking. This can be brief or long. Depends on the day and depends on how I feel. It is truly nourishing to allow myself some quietness and calmness without the need to think of something to say. I hope that you find your kind of consistency in your kind of mindfulness practice and I hope that practice truly nourishes you and brings peace into your heart. If you enjoyed this post please clap and follow my channel!
