Slice of Mindfulness Challenge

See if you can find some time to carve out a little 'slice of mindfulness' into your day. Check out all the suggestions for just how you can start to incorporate mindfulness into your life and live with more presence!

Does your mind wander when you drive? Do you find yourself paying more attention to the song on the radio than to the road? Do you drive distracted? If so, try to become aware each time your mind wanders from the road. Bring your attention to either your breath or your hands/feet. Take in the scene around you and keep your focus on driving. 

The next time your walking from one point to another see if you can bring mindful awareness to your feet or another specific body part. Do you feel the muscles in your legs expanding and contracting? Do your legs feel heavy, light, tingly? Are your arms swinging or are they at your side. If your mind wanders from this, simply bring it back to the body part you are holding in your awareness. 

Have you ever been in the shower and forgotten whether or not you put shampoo in your hair? Does your mind wander from the past to the future while showering? If so, try this: while in the shower, notice the sound of the the water, the temperature of it, the feel of the water, and the look of the water. Take this time to simply be in the shower focusing on your present moment experience.

 Human beings spend approximately 6 months of their lives waiting in line for things. How do you spend your time when you're waiting in line? Do you ruminate about all the things you could be doing? Are you spending this time annoyed and irritated? Perhaps you could switch your mindset to think about 3 people you love, 2 things you are grateful for, and 1 person you can send kind thoughts to. Another way to be in the moment while waiting in line is to notice what is happening in your body, simply bring awareness to your present moment experience. Is your heart racing, are your hands fidgety, are your feet tapping? Simply bring awareness to your body. 

When talking to another person do you fully and mindfully listen? Are you waiting for your turn to speak or distracted by something else? Next time your child or a colleague is talking to you, try to truly remain grounded in the present moment to listen fully and without judgement to their words. If your mind wanders into a thought pattern, simply noticing that is a mindful moment. Try to become aware what happens in your body when you are focused on the speaker. Bringing present moment awareness into your conversations will make for a more rewarding interaction.