Practice Mindfulness

At its core, mindfulness is about being aware of your “now.”

Not thinking about the next day or the next hour. Not obsessing about the past or the future, but paying attention to your body and your environment in the present moment

How do you practice mindfulness? 

The great thing about mindfulness is that you can practice it anywhere. 

Let’s say you’re taking a walk.

Instead of thinking about dinner or pulling out your phone (seriously, stop walking while looking at your phone), draw your attention to what’s happening now. 

• What’s the weather like? How does the sun feel on your skin? 
• What sounds do you hear? 
• What do you smell? 
• Feel your breath as it fills your lungs and as it leaves your body. 
• Notice the color of the door you just passed. Look for other things with that color. 

If your mind wanders back to your life, thank your mind for that and bring yourself back to the now. 

Why practice mindfulness? 

Mindfulness trains your brain to be present in the moment, which is good practice to focus on one thing at a time. 

Better focus can reduce your stress levels.

Multiple studies show that regularly practicing mindfulness can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and improve your sleep patterns. 

Is mindfulness difficult to do? 

No, mindfulness isn’t difficult, but it does take practice, particularly if you are prone to anxiety or have an attention deficit. 

The point of mindfulness is to engage all of our senses, and cultivate a feeling of gratitude about being alive right now.  

Remember, you can privately connect to your counselors on META. 

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