Most of us get out of bed automatically, without a primary thought in mind about a goal we want to achieve, and this gives the brain "permission" to operate according to the subconscious. When this is the case, all our decision-making processes are done without the guidance we create, but according to a purposeless routine, but you can turn each of your days into something entirely different if you change that. Mindfulness will help you control your words, actions, and reactions, so perform the following actions even before you check notifications or emails on your smartphone:
1. When you wake up, sit in bed in a relaxed posture – Close your eyes and connect to the sensation in your body that indicates you are sitting on the bed. Feel your buttocks and weight on the mattress, the softness of the bed, and throughout, ensure your back is straight.
2. Take 3 deep breaths through your nose and exhale through your mouth – Then let your breathing take a natural rhythm and listen to it. Try to notice the movement of your body as you breathe—how your chest and abdomen rise and fall.
3. Ask yourself, "What are my intentions today?" – To answer, think about the people and activities waiting for you that day. Do you want to make others remember you better? Do you want to be calmer in your interactions with others?
4. Set a goal for yourself for the day – For example, "Today I will be kinder to myself, more patient and generous to others, and most importantly—enjoy the day."
5. Check in with yourself throughout the day – From time to time, stop, take a breath, and remind yourself of your goals. If you do this every day, you will notice that your mood will improve, as will your relationships with the people around you.
It's easy to eat mindlessly, just chewing and swallowing, but eating should be one of the most enjoyable activities for us, so it's recommended to do it with full awareness. When you eat mindfully, you can enjoy a richer and more satisfying experience, not just nourishing your body. Additionally, you'll be able to control how much you eat much more easily because every bite will become significant and important to your brain. Perform these actions the next time you eat:
1. Breathe before eating – We usually move from one task to another without taking a breath, but before you start eating, it's recommended that you stop, calm your mind, and allow yourself to enter a state of eating mindfully. Sit comfortably, take 8-10 slow breaths, and only then proceed to the next stage.
2. Listen to your body – After breathing, pay attention to your body, especially the sensation in your stomach. Ask yourself how hungry you are and rate the answer on a scale of 1-10. Also, ask why you are hungry; is your stomach empty? Are you bored? Try not to think about the last time you ate and simply listen to your body's physical sensations.
3. Eat according to your hunger – Now that you're more in tune with your body and understand your hunger deeply, you can choose what to eat and how much.
4. Eat calmly – Don't try to finish the meal as quickly as possible; instead, eat slowly and take deep breaths between every bite you swallow.
5. If you don't enjoy it, don't continue – Take the first 3 bites calmly, feel the taste and texture of the food, and think about how much enjoyment you are getting from what you are chewing. If you don't truly enjoy the food, stop eating it—you'll find that when you do this, even sweets can sometimes become less appealing.
The more our lives are filled with activity, and the more we've gone through in them, the harder it is for us to fall asleep at night. Thoughts flood our minds and don't give us rest, but with mindfulness, you may be able to fall asleep easily and quickly. Mindful falling asleep has even been scientifically proven to be beneficial for almost everyone, and it is done using guided imagery during the process of falling asleep.
Experts estimate that 95% of our actions during the day are done on "autopilot" in a process controlled by the "fast brain." The neural connections in the brain control our habits and do so so efficiently that it's hard for us to stop and change behavior, or they even cause us to revert to old habits we've already managed to get rid of, such as smoking. Mindfulness is the exact opposite and includes a process that slows down the brain and gives us the ability to control it instead of it controlling us, thereby activating the "slow brain."
The more you do this, the stronger your sense of control over the brain becomes, and new habits are formed, but there's a small problem. While the "slow brain" is good for us, the "fast brain" still wants to make us use its shortcuts. So, we need to remind ourselves of our control over it through the following actions daily:
1. Create an environment that motivates action – If one of your goals is to do more stretching during the day instead of sitting on the couch and just watching TV, put a yoga mat in the middle of the living room, and it will remind you and even invite you to do it.
2. Create changes in motivation for action – The previous tip may help you for a week, but after that, the "fast brain" will make you return to old habits, and it will be harder to resist. So, you need to refresh the way you invite yourself to act consciously. For example, instead of placing the yoga mat in the center of the living room, hang a note on the TV screen that says, "10 minutes of stretching."
3. Create new action patterns – Prepare a few statements for yourself in the format of "if X then Y." For example, if you want to enter your home relaxed and smiling after work, repeat the mantra in your head, "if front door then smile," or if you're stressed when you have to make phone calls, "if phone call then deep breaths." Every such intention for action will help you be more mindful of yourself and activate the "slow brain."
There's nothing more irritating on a daily basis than traffic jams. The thought that we'll be late for work or that we'll have to get stuck in a jam for hours triggers the "fight or flight" response, and so some of us become "crazy" on the road and suddenly do things we wouldn't think of doing in calmer situations. The worse the traffic jam, the higher the stress level within us rises, but in fact, this is also the perfect time to try some mindfulness techniques that will calm and balance us and even change our perspective on our current situation. Here are some tips that will help you be more mindful of yourself and relax during traffic jams:
1. First of all, take a deep breath – It may sound cliché and simple, but bringing in more oxygen indeed helps reduce the stress levels you are experiencing. While breathing, remind yourself that the choice of your next actions is in your hands, and you choose to act calmly.
2. Ask yourself what you need – It may be that the feeling of stress does not stem directly from the traffic jam, but indirectly from it, and in fact, what you need is a sense of security, calm, or relief. When you understand what's missing, you'll know exactly what you need to provide for yourself.
3. Give yourself what you need – If you need peace and calm, try to think about what you're feeling in every part of your body and find the parts where the muscles are tight and tense. If you need a sense of security, remind yourself that even if you don't arrive at work on time, everything will be fine. If you're 15 minutes late, you can stay at the office for another 15 minutes at the end of the day to make up for it, and it won't be that bad.
4. Look around at other drivers – Everyone on the road wants to feel safe, calm, and happy, but not everyone succeeds. So, try to look for drivers who might feel like you to understand how a stressed person looks on the road from the outside, and in addition, look for people who manage to cope with the stress of the jam by singing in the car or even with a smile. When you see them, you'll immediately feel better.
