| Ways to be more mindful |

"Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds"

A lot of the time during our life, we just whip through each day on auto pilot without taking in the things we did or seen that day. I know I quite often can't remember half an hour ago let alone the day, just because I'm on auto pilot trying to get things done. It happens to us all but, when you look back you realise those are moments lost that could have been put to better use. So, I've been trying to practise being more aware of what I'm doing through the day and really take more in. So, I've compiled a list, some I already do and some I need to do more often. Are there things you do to practise being more mindful during the day?  

What is it to be Mindful? 

- To be careful not to forget something.

- deliberately aware of your mind, body, and feelings in the present moment, in order to create a feeling of calm.

Be Mindful Now

Don't believe your thoughts and don't take them all that seriously. Quite honestly, sometimes our minds play the biggest tricks on us and can often lead us into feeling worse about ourselves for no reason at all. By taking them less serious, I've been able to focus more on what helps me rather than on what hinders me through my thoughts.

Don't try to avoid or deny emotions. Repressing emotions is the worst you can do. Let yourself feel the emotions in a healthy manner and work through them. It's ok to be angry or upset, it's how you release those emotions is where we often stumble. Talk about them with a close friend or write them down. But, never hold them in, it's not healthy and it puts stumbling blocks in your thinking and emotions.

Understand that things come and go. Not everything is made to last forever, jobs, blogs, feelings, people. Often when one door closes, another opens. We are on a journey not a one stop vacation. Just as seasons change, so do we.

Do one thing at a time. Not only when you be able to focus and get one task done faster but also, more efficiently. Sometimes you can do two things at once when they flow together but, most times you need to focus on one thing and not spread yourself too thinly. Your brain and body will thank you. Slowing down for one thing at a time can help you truly take in what you're doing better too.

Practise being curious. I've always been curious, I love learning about everything and asking questions. It's how we learn and grow. Even with things I don't like or enjoy, I try and remain curious about them.

Get outside and embrace the beauty of nature. Whether it's in a forest, around flowers or with animals, nature has a way of drowning out the negatives and bringing a bit of peace. Mind you, I don't like bugs, haha. But, I do feel better after being outside in the quiet, especially near the sea.

Enjoy every bite when you eat. I admit to just eating quickly to be done and move on. But, I'm trying to go slower and really take in the flavours and so on from what I'm eating. Also being more mindful about the food I eat and where it comes from. No fake additives and so on. Nourish your body and be mindful of what you're putting in it.

Be fully present when listening without trying to control or judge. Sometimes we speak before we listen and get information wrong. By listening fully, we hear everything being told to us, focus on what's being said to you, not what you want to say next and be free of passing judgement. Sometimes just listening is all someone needs.

Take mini breaks every hour or so when working or studying. For obvious reasons, we need a break, we need to give our minds and bodies the chance to retain information and rest from any strenuous work, otherwise we can burn ourselves out and cause health problems. We'll feel more refreshed and focus to get the tasks done more efficiently. 

Laugh at yourself. I have absolutely no trouble with this, haha. I laugh at myself all the time, I'm hysterical. I've found that when you do, what you may have been upset about wasn't that big of a deal. Also, laughing is a great stress reliever, once you're done laughing, you can focus on fixing the problem or just moving on. 

Empty the mind - Take a few moments to be still. I'm doing this more, shutting my computer or tv off and just going into my room to be in silence. When there is too much going on and I have no silence, I become a bit agitated and I don't sleep well. So, more quiet time to empty my thoughts or even just to hear myself think has been a great thing.

Be aware of every daily activity - driving, cleaning, texting and so on. Sometimes these activities can be the cause of our stress. I'm seeing a lot of people on Instagram post about how it's made them question themselves more often without being aware of it. Comparing numbers of followers or likes and its become a great source of negativity rather than just expression or fun. Stuff like this can easily become a hindrance of our minds and also keep us from doing tasks in our daily life because we're on our phones too much.

Forgive yourself for every negative thought. You're human, we're not perfect and we're not meant to be. Sometimes we have negative thoughts and that's ok, it's the dwelling on them is where it can become harmful and cause us to become stuck. When they surface, let them go and move on, don't be hard on yourself.

Be grateful - say thank you to those around you, nature and so on. Appreciate what you have and stop focusing on what you don't have.

Go easy with yourself - with time, you will see progress. Nothing was ever built in a day!

Do you do any of these? I admit that I can forget some of them and be away in my own thoughts a lot and forget things during the day but, I'm trying to gradually make them part of my daily routine. I've found them to be a great help, I hope you do to. Happy Monday lovelies, have a smashing week ahead.

Loves & Loves

xoxoxo