What does it mean to be mindful? I think it means slightly different things to different people; to me, it’s the practice of being aware of the mind and of what it’s doing, rather than just letting it run rampant. What does your inner dialogue look like? How do you speak to yourself? Are you kind? Encouraging? Forgiving? Or, as so many of us are, are you harsh, critical, and judgmental?
The practice of mindfulness is about recognizing that very frequently, we are our own worst enemies. But, by being hyper-critical of ourselves and negative about our lives, we prevent ourselves from being our own greatest champions. 
Being mindful requires us to settle the mind, so that we can clearly see the ways in which we are holding ourselves back and can turn instead to more productive and positive ways of thinking.
Much of the time, this can be difficult to do, and I certainly don’t claim to be an expert. But I would say that over time, I’ve begun to place a greater emphasis on maintaining mindfulness in my own life, and I’ve begun to experience greater peace on a day-to-day basis because of it (even during really stressful times.) How do I do this? By incorporating the following into my life:
1) I meditate.
Meditation is actually a fairly recent addition to my self-care routine, and to be honest, I didn’t think it was going to be for me. Who has time to sit around thinking of nothing for hours on end, right? Not me, that’s for sure. But as soon as I started looking into the practice further, I realized that I held a pretty significant misconception about meditation. And that was the idea of the time commitment involved. The fact is that it doesn’t have to take hours. Or even one hour. Of course, it can take up as much time as you would like, but effective meditation can be accomplished in as little as 5 to 10 minutes a day.
If you’re like me, you CONSTANTLY have about five thousand thoughts racing around in your head, which can make you feel tired even if you’re just sitting on your sofa doing nothing. What I love about the practice of meditation is that it has become a small part of my day set aside exclusively to allow my mind to relax and go quiet. In those few moments of stillness, my mind has the opportunity to reset itself, and without fail, I open my eyes after my 10 minutes of meditation feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready to continue on with my day in a productive manner.
If this sounds good to you, I highly recommend giving meditation a go. I started my practice with (and still use) the app Headspace. It does a great job of making meditation accessible for beginners, but also has options for those who are more experienced.
2) I exercise regularly.
Okay, not gonna lie – my exercise routine sometimes falls by the wayside, particularly when things get hectic at work. But in general, I really try to maintain a steady workout schedule, both for the obvious physical benefits and for the positive mental effects physical activity provides. During times of stress in my life, I have always turned to exercise (running, most 
frequently, but lately the elliptical to spare my knees) to return to a place of clarity. No matter what else might be going on in my life, a good workout reminds me that I have the power to do something good for my body, and that I have already made the positive choice to augment my health through exercise.
When I say exercise, I don’t necessarily mean a cardio-intensive workout – running has historically been my choice, but it can be anything. Yoga, pilates, spinning, walking, boxing, dancing, rock climbing – whatever. Anything that gets you moving and brings the focus to the fact that whatever else might be going on in your life, your body is strong and capable. For me, that realization always acts as a reminder that I am strong and can figure out a way to move forward.
3) I write in a journal.
I know the immediate reaction here for some might be to say that we aren’t in middle school anymore, we’re adults with real problems, and scribbling away about them in a secret diary somewhere isn’t going to actually solve anything. And to that I say, you’re only partially right. It is true that keeping a laundry list of your problems and annoyances isn’t going to solve anything if that’s the only step you take toward addressing the issues. However, I’ve kept a journal off and on my entire life (literally, since I learned how to write) and I’ve noticed that during the times when I’m actively keeping one, I find it easier to identify solutions to whatever is troubling me.
I think this is because, for me, writing in a journal is an outlet. Rather than holding my stress or anger or fear inside and ruminating on it, I get it all down on paper. I’ve found that transferring my thoughts from my mind onto the page has the effect of clearing my mind, so rather than staying focused on the negative, I have the mental space and energy to start creating solutions.
4) I eat well.
As you may have noticed if you’ve looked around on the rest of my blog, I like food. A lot. So for me, what and how I eat plays a big role in my life. I include eating well on my list of mindfulness techniques though, because I’ve noticed that when I make consuming healthy, wholesome food a focus, I feel better – not just physically, but mentally. It’s kind of along the same lines as maintaining a steady workout schedule. When I make healthy eating a priority, it places emphasis on the fact that even if there are stressful things going on in my life, I have the power to do something good for myself and to take care of myself by eating food that nourishes my body. And when you make taking care of your body a priority, you reinforce your sense of self-worth every day.
5) I focus on what matters.
Well what a broad statement, right? What the heck does that mean? It means that on days when I get home from work and I’m tired and frustrated and worried about the latest project that I have going on, or when I’m stressed about my 
relationships with others, or just generally feeling like nothing is going right, I force myself to take a step back. I ask myself ‘do you have a roof over your head? Do you have food to eat? A comfortable bed to sleep in? Are you physically strong and capable? Do you have family and friends who love and care about you?’
And as I remind myself that the answer to all of those questions is yes, it brings my attention back to the fact that even though I may be stressed, or things might be working out differently than I thought I wanted, or I may just be feeling a bit gloomy for whatever reason, I have what I need. I am fortunate. I have arrived at this point in my life, and I will continue on into the future. I’m not saying that you have to ask yourself exactly the same questions that I do – your list of things that reminds you of your safety and security may look different from mine. The idea is just that instead of giving in to stress and panic, you take a moment to remind yourself that you already have everything you need, and you will continue to move forward.
6) I live by the words “it has not come to stay, it has come to pass.”
I love this mantra. I can’t even remember where I first heard it, but it has greatly shifted my perspective, and every time I come across something difficult, I repeat it to myself. As all of us know, it’s very easy to get caught up in a negative situation and lose oneself to the idea that an unwanted set of circumstances is going to last forever. I definitely used to be guilty of this – all the time.
But when I heard this mantra, it made me think – had any of the negative situations I’d found myself in over the years ever lasted forever? Were there any that hadn’t faded away into the past, but hung on for five, ten, or even twenty years? And the answer was no. I can look back and remember times of negativity, but I can also see that they no longer affect my present. My past, like everyone else’s, has not been without challenges, but every one of them has come and gone. They came to pass, not to stay.
To me, this mantra is a crucial part of mindfulness because it helps me maintain perspective in difficult situations. Rather than being overcome with anxiety or losing my temper or just giving up, I take a moment to remind myself that whatever is going on, and however difficult it might seem to overcome, one year from now (or perhaps in an even shorter period of time), this negative situation will no longer hold any influence in my life. I will have grown, life will have changed, and I will have moved on.
I hope this post has been helpful in providing new strategies for staying mindful, no matter what life might throw at you! Just remember – the power to take control of your mind and change your perspective is always there. You’ve got this!
What are your secrets to staying mindful? Share in the comments below!
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