"Mindfulness"

Mindfulness is becoming more popular and normalized in our society, but some people still wonder what it is or even how to do it. So what is mindfulness? Mindfulness is staying focused and being present to whatever is in your life in the moment and noticing it without judgment.  Accepting the reality of the situation and understanding what you can control. 

Mindfulness can be broken up into Informal and Formal practices: Informal mindfulness focuses on one thing, staying present with full attention on that moment and Formal mindfulness is similar to meditation practices by practicing regularly to strengthen your wellbeing. 

How often do we actually take time throughout our busy day to be self aware? How often do we take time away from our distractions of technology and miscellaneous task to focus on being present. Informal practices enables you to take time to be more purposeful and pay attention to yourself. Practicing self-awareness helps you pause for a moment and notice what is happening around us and within us. 

Formal mindfulness practices help you train your mind, rather than letting your mind control you. It is when you designate time out of your busy day specifically for mindfulness meditation practices; such as walking meditation, sitting meditation, spiritual meditation, yoga, running meditation and other progressive muscle relaxation practices. Designating time for yourself is referred to as “self-care” and it is essential for your health and wellbeing.