Mindfulness should your top priority because it is the foundation of building healthy habits and of slaying your goals. When you are aware and in tune of your thoughts, emotions and needs, then you are able to take better care of yourself. You will feel happier, healthier and more energetic because you are taking care of yourself the right way.
Don’t make the same mistake that I’ve made (and still do sometimes…oops) by getting caught up in the endless to-do list. There’s always going to be something to do, whether it’s your adulting list (hello, weekly groceries and cleaning…) or whether it’s your weekly/monthly goals, it’s never going to stop because…well…that’s just how life is.
That’s why it’s important to remember that we are human BEINGS, not human doings. We are not robots that are meant to be doing things all the time. There’s so much more to life than our to-do list.
[bctt tweet=”Life gets busy. Don’t get caught up in your endless to do list and be mindful of the present moment” username=”seppyforlove”]
And how do we do that? In the midst of our busy lives, how do we remember to just BE?
Mindfulness.
Yes, it’s that simple.
But let’s break it down, because mindfulness can mean many things for different people but there’s a basis to it that you can apply and adjust for yourself.
{ What is mindfulness }
Very simply put, mindfulness is being aware of what’s going on inside and outside. It means being conscious of your surroundings – noticing the people around you, what’s happening, the weather, the colour of the sky…every detail in your surroundings.
Mindfulness is also being in touch with whatever is going on inside – your thoughts, your emotions, your self-talk, how your body is feeling. It’s about being in touch YOU!
[bctt tweet=”Mindfulness is being aware of what’s going on outside and on the inside” username=”seppyforlove”]
You might be thinking…“DUH, that’s SO obvious!” So if it’s that simple, then why aren’t we practicing mindfulness more frequently?
That’s because we need practice mindfulness for it to become a habit. Like I said before, we live in a society where we’re on the go ALL THE TIME that we sometimes don’t even have the time to stop and smell the roses.
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{ Mindfulness | An anecdote }
It’s incredible to see the change that can happen the moment that you shift your mindset.
The instant that I told myself that my main goal is going to feel healthy and happy rather than losing weight, I started seeing a shift in my emotional and physical well-being. And honestly, that’s all we should aim for. It’s great to have specific goals because it will give you clear parameters of what you need to reach for. But if you come from a place of mindfulness and balance, you will find that it will become a LOT easier to start seeing the results that you want.
[bctt tweet=”What does mindfulness look like in practice? Find out here!” username=”seppyforlove”]
Well, it goes back to… you guessed it! Mindfulness. It boils down to listening to yourself. To listen to your physical and emotional cues. Are you hungry or are you eating because you feel lonely or tired or maybe you’re eating out of habit? Are you feeling stressed out because of the situation you’re facing, or maybe you were tense from something else that happened and you’re not even aware of it? Are you exercising because you are ‘punishing’ yourself for overindulging over the weekend? Or are you exercising because it makes you feel strong and empowered?
[bctt tweet=”Practicing mindfulness will help you create the healthy and empowering habits that you need to live a long and happy life” username=”seppyforlove”]
This relates to my May goals (you can read more about that below!) but I’ve been trying to practice mindfulness when it comes to my workout regimen and my eating habits. I’ve been trying to be more in tune with what my body is telling me so that I can take better care of myself.
If I’m tired, then I’ll try to make my workout a bit easier or I’ll switch it up and go for a light run outside instead. When I’m reaching for a snack, I’ll try to think about it twice to make sure that I’m eating it out of hunger and not out of habit.
It’s the little shifts that in the long run will compound and you will wake up one morning to realize that you are taking care of your body the RIGHT and healthy way!
{ Why Mindfulness should be your Top Priority }
When you’re in tune with your body and your mind, what do you think happens?
Do you think that you simply ignore the cues, or that you are more likely to take care of whatever your mind and body are telling you?
The moment that you become mindful of yourself, your needs, your internal cues, you will be amazed at how easy it becomes to see what exactly you need.
Your mind and body know what they need. So tuning in and being mindful of your needs is a habit you need to practice so that you can increasingly become aware and listen to yourself, and then fulfill those needs, you will find that you are energized, empowered and invigorated.
When you tap into yourself, when you start listening to what your mind, body and soul are telling you, you will find that you already have the answer within you.
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{ How do you practice mindfulness }
Mindfulness Tip # 1 | Know yourself
Knowing yourself means knowing your values, your character, your personality. When you are mindful of who you are, then it becomes easier to manage situations and challenges that come your way.
If you know that you get easily frazzled or stressed out when you’re tired, then you will make resting and sleep a priority throughout the week so that you can get through it with more ease.
[bctt tweet=”Mindfulness tip # 1 | Knowing yourself is the first step in creating a routine and practicing habits that will inspire and empower you on a daily basis” username=”seppyforlove”]
If you know that you are morning person, than you know that you know that you should prioritize creating an empowering and inspiring morning routine to set yourself up for success for the day.
Being mindful of who you are will help you create and implement the best daily routines and habits that will set you up for success.
Mindfulness Tip # 2 | Quiet your mind
If your mind is constantly buzzing with thoughts, how will you hear what’s going in your brain? Learning how to quiet your mind is the foundation of mindfulness because you are giving yourself the space to listen to what your thoughts and emotions are telling you.
In practical terms, there’s obviously meditation that will help you quiet your mind and tune into your thoughts.
But there are other ways you can quiet your mind throughout the day. Meditation doesn’t have to only be a practice of sitting down and meditating. You can quiet your mind by focusing on one task. For example, when I get home from work, I unpack my lunch box, do the dishes, prepare my bag for the next day…and I do that in the quiet. I enjoy the quiet space which helps me quiet my mind after a long day at work.
[bctt tweet=”Mindfulness tip # 2 | Quiet your mind so that you can tune into your thoughts and emotions and be aware of what you need to take better care of yourself on a daily basis” username=”seppyforlove”]
Or you can meditate while going for a walk, or listening to music or even doing something creative like Bullet Journaling or drawing.
Whatever it is, quieting the mind is simply an act of trying to slow down your thoughts so that you can become mindful and aware of what’s going on so that you can address any potential issues or challenges that are arising before they become a bigger problem.
Mindfulness Tip # 3 | Tune into your body
I wanted to have a specific section about mindfulness and our bodies because this is an area that we tend to leave for last, even though there should be a greater emphasis on it. When you have a strong and healthy body, you have the energy and vitality to handle almost anything.
But to have a strong and healthy body, you need to tune into your body. You need to be mindful about what your body is telling you it needs. Are you tired? Then you need more sleep. Are you reacting to certain foods? Then you should probably be avoiding them. Are you having a break out? Then there’s either something that you’re eating or putting on your skin that you shouldn’t.
Our bodies are smart organisms – they know what they need and when they need it.
[bctt tweet=”Mindfulness tip # 3 | Tune into your body so that you can give it what it needs to have a strong and healthy body” username=”seppyforlove”]
The moment you have a nutritional deficiency, this appears in different ways in your body. If you’re tired and stressed out all the time, your body wont be able to keep up and you will constantly get sick!
By practicing mindfulness, you ensure that you are in tune with your body’s needs.
{ May Goals }
Ah, yes, the goals. I’ve changed the format of the monthly goals posts because even though I want to share my goals for the month, I also want each post to be useful and inspiring for you.
Even though I’ve received so much positive feedback about sharing my monthly goals, I still wanted to emphasize them a bit less so that you can still have the benefit of being reminded (and hopefully inspired) to stay on track with YOUR goals, while also being able to share with you a lesson or something that I learned!
MIND
I’m still continuing on my de-cluttering spree and honestly, it feels so good. I think that it’s something that I’ll always be doing because it really opens up mental space when you start to de-clutter. And you can start small by even de-cluttering your inbox by unsubscribing from all the mailing lists that you don’t even look at!! (hopefully mine isn’t one of them..!).
The main focus for this month though has been mindset – my mindset about my body, my goals, my career…and my whole life! I’ve made a conscious effort of my self-talk and internal dialogue and being mindful of that has been really eye-opening about how much negativity can happen in your mind which inevitably will affect how I feel and then in turn will affect my decisions.
BODY
In line with mindfulness and focusing on my mindset, I’ve been practicing mindful eating and it has been a pressure off from having to track what I eat all the time and being hyper aware of every single that I put in my mouth.
That’s not how I want to live my life. I want to enjoy life while also being healthy and balanced, and that’s the direction that I’m moving towards and it feels amazing!!
I know that when I’ve improved my mindset and approach to food and health, the results that I want will come with time. And I want to make a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix.
SOUL
It has been really nice to spend more quality time with my hubby. Between his M.B.A., his job, his business, and my job and business and going to the gym, we have to make a conscious effort to make time for date nights, and this has been going great this month. I really cherish quiet moments with him.
I’ve been able to maintain my goal of cooking and baking one new recipe every month. Taking off the pressure from having to cook all the time has helped a LOT because I’m being realistic with my lifestyle and priorities right now and I’ve accepted it.
We’ve covered a lot in this post.. if you’re still with me, you get a sticker! But I also want to hear from you!! Share your goals for the month of May and/or what’s one mindfulness practice that you will commit to implement this month?
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yasmina says
Have tried a meditation mindfulness class last year and it brought a lot to my life. I m continuing on my own. Great article!!!!
Kairavi says
I really love mindfulness. It really helps keeping me healthy. Shared a lot of tweets. Thanks.
Jocelyn says
I have been hearing a lot about mindfulness lately, and these are some great tips to help get started!
ShootingStarsMag says
Mindfulness is definitely a good skill to practice. It can relate to so much in your life. Good luck with all of your May goals. 🙂
-lauren
Natalie @ A Tiny Traveler Blog says
So true! You never know how much you need to be mindful and self aware until you start! So important for progress and growth. I also love the way you journal!
Katie says
This a great post and such a wonderful reminder of how important mindfulness is. I am feeling inspired!
Rachel says
Love this! Mindfulness is definitely something I’ve been trying to be better about – especially when it comes to self-care!
Tabbie says
This is an amazing post. Before starting my minimalism/simple living journey, I was definitely just a human DOER. It wasn’t until I started MINDFULLY looking for the joy in my days that I really had life changing results.
Kendall says
I love this! Great reminder about tuning in and listening to ourselves and our bodies for the cues… thank you!
Colleen says
Practicing mindfulness helped me realize that I do my best creative work in the morning (usually) and so I ended up having my morning routine start at 4:45 AM. I also really like tip #3 – being in tune with your body. I figured out that the reason I couldn’t lose weight for fifteen years was my carb intake. Once I started really paying attention and limiting my carbs the weight has just fallen off. Definitely a good tip to listen to your body!
Sophie says
I love your examples through the use of a bullet journal. I am always talking about positive energy and mindset, especially as an entrepreneur. It does wonders for productivity and confidence! This was an amazing read, thank you for sharing this with us!
Alex says
I really need to start focusing on mindfullness – I feel like I did for so long and then lost it once things got crazy busy for me!
Edwina says
Tuning into your body and listening to what your body needs is so crucial! makes a big difference on how you feel.