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The ACFB Team
Ways to be Mindful Outside of Meditation
Want to learn more ways to be mindful outside of meditation? When it comes to caring for our minds and bodies, meditation is often seen as ‘the’ solution. As one of the most authentic methods to build and develop mindfulness, meditation helps us to stay focused on the real and the present. And for many of us, that focus can be just what we need to make sure that our life retains order as opposed to chaos. Meditation, though, is not for everyone!
If you are looking for ways to improve mindfulness without meditation, here are some ways to consider. There are many ways to be mindful other than meditation: so, what works best when you allow it?
Focusing on reality
One of the best ways to try and improve mindfulness is to focus on your feelings within your body. For example, you might feel a sense of life and spark from yourself. You might otherwise feel a sense of weight and sadness. It does not matter what you feel, though; simply focus on those feelings and what they mean to you for the most part.
Don’t investigate the ‘why’ of those sensations, simply acknowledge their present existence.on
Eat and drink – and focus on it
Easily one of the best ways to practice mindfulness without meditation. Simply eating your food might seem like horrendously basic advice, but it has a unique draw and power. Many of us try and organise our life whilst drinking a coffee or eating our breakfast. Instead of doing that, simply eat or drink. Focus on the actual food, the drink etc. – your train of thought can wait at the station a moment longer whilst you think about the mindfulness involved in the act of eating.
Go for a walk
This is a personal favourite. Simply going for a walk can be immensely liberating to the body, mind, and spirit. I recommend going for a walk and instead of taking in things like how far you have travelled or what you have passed by, simply focus on the actual act of walking. Feel each muscle moving in tandem to complete the action.
Only when you get into the act of actually observing the act of walking should you then switch focus to what you see, hear, and feel. Don’t allow focusing on the presence around you to interfere with the act of simply thinking about your walk, though.
Think before you act
How often do you answer a question someone asks you by first going ‘uhhhh’ for a few seconds? Probably a lot, right?
Instead of doing anything without thinking, take a quick moment to observe the action involved. Before you start work for the day, take a moment about to think about your body shape and the position of your chair. When you answer the phone, focus on the sound of the phone first and what that makes you feel as opposed to trying to pre-judge how the call is going to go.
A small piece of mindfulness added before and after every action can curb impulse reactions, improve your energy associated to any task, and make you much more likely to appreciate the outcome of an action – or even simply the act of doing itself.
Download an app
If you don’t mind connecting with technology to make your mindfulness work, you should consider trying to download Smiling Mind. This is a professional app that is great for you to try out using, and is entirely free.
It makes mindfulness practice easier, and shows you that you don’t need to have a meditation or a mantra to pull it off with success.
Here are just a couple ways you can be mindful outside of meditation. Add your thoughts in the comments below!
