What are mindful practices?
Mindfulness is a technique from Buddhism where we try to observe the moods, thoughts, feelings, and anybody’s sensation without judging any of what we are going through. This practice intends to create any sense of awareness is also an access for us to rewire ourselves and re-evaluate where we are!
In this series, let’s look at various aspects through mindfulness like mental well-being, fitness, mindful eating, and blissful living.
This practice can be productive, allowing you to be highly effective in what you do. This practice will require you to consider your state of mind when you are at work, or you are home when you are with your friends or your family. If there is any sense of anger, fear, stress, anxiety, and worry, then there is a need for you to work on mental well-being. Let’s look at various aspects through mindfulness
One critical point of being fit is also having a sound mind. There are a lot of religious practices, yoga, and taking classes for conditioning of the mind. These are few tried practices that can help improve your mental well-being.
- Awareness-Being aware is a state of mind, where you are present to people, things, your body, your emotions, as well as what’s happening with people around you like their moods and thoughts. You being aware of all of this will help you look at aspects that could potentially impact you. Incorporate activities that will help you relax and unwind. Spending quality time with your family when you are with them and giving yourself and your undivided attention to them will leave you with an experience of fulfilment. Follow this at work as well, inculcate the habit of doing complete work. Take time to make trips and engage in activities with groups of people near and dear to you.
“Be the witness of your thoughts.”-Buddha
- Passion-When was the last time you read a book or learnt something new. Pick an activity or pursue a passion could be as simple as gardening at home, cooking for a loved one, or collecting coins! Learning something new for the sake of just learning something new. Pursue a long lost passion; this will give you time for yourself and also let you focus your energy on something.
“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”– Oprah Winfrey
- Contribute-Give to others what you can, as simple as your time, thoughts, attention. How does contributing to others constitute mental well-being, you might ask? Yes, the time you invest in providing for others, will leave with immense self-satisfaction and will help you re-evaluate your self-worth. Be it small acts of saying thank you or just a kind act of holding the door for another, or something as significant as doing community work like (volunteering). This act will help you build a social network and have a great impact on your mental well-being.
“Finding your passion isn’t just about careers and money. It’s about finding your authentic self. – Kristin Hannah
Why do we say a healthy mind and a healthy body go hand in hand for a harmonious life? Now how would you define being physically fit? For some, it can be having six-pack abs or being the right weight for the right height. For some, it could be about being able to fit into some memorable clothes from the past. It could be joining the gym or playing a game of football. What is important is taking up an activity moderate or vigorous based on your physical requirements. We’ll continue to dwell deeper into this conversation in our next blog.
