Mindfulness Matters

Life is hectic. Whether you’re climbing to the top at work, balancing friends and relationships or just seeking more out of life--living mindfully is the best way to find inner peace. To be mindful is to stay present and remain aware, through all
senses, of what is going on in and around you.

This is difficult to do because most of us have more than one thing on our minds at any given time. Keeping track of our thoughts, emotions, attention, reactions, and feelings isn’t something we are trained to do. Think of all the times you ate
lunch while mindlessly staring at a screen or went to sleep without
reflecting on the best parts of your day. We are simply operating
on “auto-pilot”.

But we don’t have to be—mindfulness is a muscle, just like your quads, biceps or abs. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Good news, Tribe Babes…there are many ways you can begin implementing mindfulness techniques into your daily routine right now! These techniques can increase your awareness, calmness
and even your overall happiness. Give them a try!

 

 

JOURNALING
Journaling is therapeutic and is a great tool to help you live with purpose There are two main things that journaling is amazing for: GOAL-SETTING: Did you know that the act of physically writing down your goals increases the odds of actually achieving them? Sometimes when you don't have a plan, you don't know how you will reach your destination. However, allowing yourself the time and space to write out your goals, thoughts, and the actions you can take to get there brings your goal down to earth, making it more attainable.

GRATITUDE. Think about all of the wonderful blessings in your life. From the badass 12th Tribe outfits you rock to the yummy food in your house and the laughter you share with your best friend, there are so many things to be grateful for. Try a mindful approach, and write down nightly gratitude/appreciation lists. You can start small with the obvious things, and then dig deeper to find appreciation for even the tiniest things. Gratitude journals are amazing for raising your mood and reminding you what a wonderful life you have.

STRETCHING
Another simple, easy, and free technique to be mindful in your daily life is to incorporate 10-15 minutes of stretching into your schedule. Whether you prefer first thing when you wake up or before hitting the pillow at night, breathing deeply and just feeling your muscles stretch is so healing. Although relaxing, meditation can be intimidating. But stretching is something everyone can do! Feel your body, feel your being, and thank your body for everything it does for your everyday. Inhale love. Exhale stress and fear.

DAILY MINDFULNESS CHALLENGES
If you’re looking to really increase your mindfulness game, create a challenge for yourself. It can last just a day or stretch out for an entire week—that is up to you. All that matters is that the challenge is just that…a challenge. A challenge that breaks up the routine and opens your eyes to see things from a new perspective. Here are a couple easy mindfulness challenges:

Eat mindfully for one whole week. Don’t be distracted when you
are enjoying your meals this week. Focus on the taste of the food,
how it is nourishing your body and giving you nutrients and
energy to thrive. Give thanks. Don’t scroll through Instagram or
scarf down your meal before rushing off to a meeting. Give it time.
Appreciate the moment and slow down.

Speak positively for a day. Today, you will be changing your thought-process and implementing positive self-talk and in every situation, you come across. Of course, this is not easy to do. But time is too precious to waste it complaining, worried or stressed. Instead of beating yourself up about a breakout on your skin, remind yourself that you are beautiful and that no one is perfect. For the entire day, do your best to find the good in people and situations…you’ll notice you’re more thankful for life’s gifts.

Stop living for the weekend— find the good in each day. Yes…even Monday. Whether it means reminding yourself that every day is a new day, a fresh start, and a chance to be the best version of yourself, or treating yourself to a little “present” like a yummy autumnal iced coffee to make the week more exciting. Do what you can to stop counting down the days to Friday. Today is wonderful, even despite work, responsibilities, and daily stressors. You just have to train yourself to see the greatness.

Go on a social media detox. For a whole 24-hours, don’t use any form of social media. Only use your phone’s call feature. Be more present IRL. Say hello to strangers in the elevator and smile on the commute to work. You’ll notice how many moments you miss because you’re looking down.

What can you do to be more mindful in your life?

 

 

 

- Amanda Becker