Today’s society is one that is focused on everything outward. Everyone spends their time learning about what other people are doing and how they live their lives. Social media is the baby of this way of thinking. People post what they want other people to see. They base their own success on what kind of responses they get. It is a vicious cycle that only leads to living an empty life. What is the alternative to this? Focusing inward – being mindful. This is a word that is tossed around in today’s culture but not a lot is said about what it is in its simplest form.
To be mindful is to pay attention. Namely, to pay attention to yourself. Move your attention from everyone else and what they want to yourself and what you want. You can even focus on why you want certain things. A website, www.minful.org gives us eight things to know about mindfulness:
- Mindfulness is not obscure or exotic.
- Mindfulness is not a special added thing we do.
- You don’t need to change.
- Mindfulness has the potential to become a transformative social phenomenon.
- It’s a way of living.
- Anyone can do it.
- Its evidence based.
- It sparks innovations.
These are a great start to figuring out what this concept means. Let’s dig into each one. First, mindfulness is not obscure or exotic. It is something that everyone does, and it can look a little bit different for each person. Whether it is realized or not, mindfulness is a part of everyone’s life. Some chose to ignore it, some fight it and some embrace it. Looking inward can be difficult, but it is unavoidable. It can be portrayed as an exotic practice and a deeply spiritual experience, but that is not always the case. As mentioned earlier, it is simply paying attention.
Mindfulness is not an added thing we do. Everyone has the capability to live in the present. It is not a 180-degree change in personality or worldview. Simple practices can be added to your daily routine to be mindful. Incorporating these practices will help you get positive results in all aspects of your life. This does not mean you have to wear crystals around your neck and do yoga for hours a day. Instead, you simply must think about how you feel and why you may feel certain ways in different situations.
You don’t need to change. This goes hand in hand with the previous point. “Solutions that ask us to change who we are or become something we’re not have failed us over and over again.” (mindful.org) There are people that follow fad diets and lifestyles and constantly change what they are doing. There is a reason why these choices don’t stick. When you don’t know what you truly want, rash decisions won’t make any difference. Being mindful will allow you to not only NOT change but discover the root of what you want and who you are. It will allow you to face life with a clear view.
Mindfulness has the potential to become a transformative social phenomenon. This is not because of Facebook ads that may pop up on newsfeeds. Think about it – if everyone focused on their own lives and their own wants/needs instead of what everyone else thought, what would society be like? It is truly freeing to shift your origin of worth from others to yourself. This is known as self-worth which is another wonderful topic for another time! Anyone can accomplish mindfulness.
It is a way of living. It is more than an hour practice each day. It goes much deeper and affects every aspect of your life. The whole purpose of mindfulness is to cut away needless stress and be more in tune with your own thoughts and feelings. This will make your life richer and enable you to live in the present rather than worrying about the past or present. It is evidence-based. Mindfulness is not a blind faith. It is not something you simply believe without any results. “Both science and experience demonstrate its positive benefits for our health, happiness, work, and relationships.” (mindful.org) Again, it looks different for each person. What works for someone may not for others.
Finally, it sparks innovation. Paying attention to your thoughts and feelings on a deep level will lead you to effective responses to life’s difficult problems. The world is an ever changing and complex place to live. It can be taxing to be constantly waging internal battles over both big and small things. Rather than giving in to the desire to give up, mindfulness will get you the solution you need. And it is all YOU! It is not a quick-fix or self-help gimmick. It is you and your own power working through your life.
“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not over reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” It is voodoo, magic, or intense spiritual practice. With work, anyone can be mindful and improve their own life. If everyone took the time to pay attention to themselves, we would live in a very different world.
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