In today’s world, everyone is constantly on the go. We have certain things that demand our attention, deadlines at work or at school, and other constant streams of distractions, such as social media. Many of us find ourselves living life on autopilot. You may be moving from one task to the next without even realizing it. If this sounds like your life, this is where mindfulness can come into play. Mindfulness is a simple, transformative way of life that invites you to slow down, tune in, and reconnect with the present.
Mindfulness is not about just achieving a peaceful state of mind or escaping the challenges of life- it is about cultivating awareness and acceptance for the present moment, no matter what life throws your way. Whether you are looking to manage stress or simply want to learn how to savor life’s small moments, mindfulness can help you engage with life’s experiences on a deeper level. Research shows that mindfulness can reduce stress by 31%.
If you have been curious about starting your journey with mindfulness but are not sure where to begin, you are in the right place! Whether you are a complete beginner or you are looking to refresh your mindfulness practice, keep reading this blog to find approachable ways to integrate mindfulness into your daily routine.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
What is the true purpose of mindfulness?
The true purpose of mindfulness is to create a deep awareness of the present moment. By doing so, you can begin to live life with more clarity, balance, and intentionality. Mindfulness will help you connect you to the world around you while fostering acceptance and self-awareness.
Mindfulness consists of several related components that come together to create present-moment awareness and a balanced state of mind.
What are the components of mindfulness?
Awareness
Attention
Non-judgment
Curiosity
Acceptance
Compassion
Detachment from outcomes
Embodiment
At the core, mindfulness will help you see your reality for what it is with zero judgment or resistance attached. When you observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations, you can break free from habitual patterns so you can gain a more thoughtful approach to life. This heightened awareness can actually enhance emotional regulation and create better decision-making skills.
Mindfulness offers a wide range of benefits that can impact your physical, emotional, mental, and social welfare.
What are the key benefits of practicing mindfulness?
Reduces stress
Alleviates anxiety and depression
Improves focus and concentration
Enhances sleep quality (Read our blog “3 Ways to Relieve Sleep Anxiety”)
Creates emotional regulation (Check out our blog “How to Regulate Your Emotions”)
Promotes positive emotions
Builds resilience
Reduces chronic pain
Boosts immune function
Promotes healthier habits (View our blog “4 Ways To Build A Habit That Sticks”)
Enhances problem-solving skills
Improves relationships
Encourages compassion
Reduces conflict
Deepens self-awareness
Cultivates inner peace
All in all, mindfulness is all about promoting your inner peace and well-being. When you become grounded in the present moment, a richer, more meaningful life will ensue. Therefore, you can be fully engaged and grateful for the beauty and obstacles of each moment. Mindfulness is a pathway to living life with intention and a true sense of purpose.
What are the seven pillars of mindfulness?
Mindfulness is more than just a practice, it is a way of life. With mindfulness, you can begin to approach life with a certain level of openness, awareness, and presence. At its core, mindfulness is about cultivating a certain attitude to navigate challenges, embrace the present moment, and live with more intention. Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn is a pioneer in the field of mindfulness and he identified seven foundational pillars for this practice. These seven pillars serve as guiding principles for the mindfulness practice to help you better integrate it into your daily life.
These seven pillars can help you create a mindful state and deepen your connection to the present moment. The seven pillars of mindfulness are as follows:
Non-judging - The first pillar invites you to observe your thoughts, emotions, and experiences without viewing them as “good” or “bad”, creating a sense of openness and neutrality
Patience - Patience will remind you to embrace the natural unfolding of life without trying to control the outcome
Beginner’s Mind - This third pillar puts you in the space of the beginner’s mind where you embrace the world from a point of curiosity and wonder
Trust - The trust phase emphasizes constructing confidence in your intuition and abilities which encourages self-reliance
Non-striving - Practicing non-striving means that you let go of the need to achieve or fix anything which will allow you to simply be present
Acceptance - Acceptance is all about fully embracing the present moment as it is to create a sense of peace and understanding, even when times are difficult
Letting go - The final phase of letting go emphasizes releasing any attachment you have to your thoughts or emotions that no longer serve you. This creates freedom from unnecessary burdens
The seven pillars of mindfulness outlined above can be used as a roadmap to create more awareness and balance in your life. When you integrate these principles into your daily life, you can create a deeper connection to yourself and the world around you. Whether you are new to mindfulness or are a seasoned expert, these seven pillars serve as a guide towards living a more meaningful, mindful way of living.
What are the four types of mindfulness?
Mindfulness can broadly be defined in four primary categories where each area emphasizes a specific area to focus on to cultivate greater awareness and presence.
The first is mindfulness of the body. This involves paying attention to physical sensations, movements, and your body’s presence in different spaces. Specific practices can encourage a healthy mind-body connection to help ground your attention in the present moment, such as body scans, mindful breathing, and mindful walking. For more information on this topic, check out our blog “5 Ways to Nurture Your Mind-Body Connection.”
The second type is mindfulness of emotions and feelings which highlights observing your emotional states without attachment or judgment. This simply involves noticing how your feelings arise, evolve, and disappear over time, whether your feelings are positive, negative, or neutral. When you practice this type of mindfulness, you can gain more emotional intelligence and respond to your feelings thoughtfully instead of acting on them impulsively.
The third type of mindfulness is mindfulness of thoughts. This encompasses observing the activity in your mind, including ideas; judgments; and beliefs. You will come to observe this activity without becoming entangled in it. Instead of becoming one with your thoughts, you can view them as temporary mental events that come and go to reduce overthinking.
Lastly, we have mindfulness of the environment. This expands awareness to include the external world. This can be simply observing sights, sounds, smells, and other sensory inputs with curiosity and a sense of openness. When you are fully present in your interactions and surroundings, this type of mindfulness can make you better connect to the people in your life and the world around you.
Together, the four types of mindfulness can give you a comprehensive approach to create a more balanced and attentive mind.
What are 5 ways a person can be mindful?
Finding moments of stillness and presence can feel like a luxury in today’s fast-paced world. However, mindfulness is a simple yet powerful way to create a sense of calmness and clarity. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can transform the way you live your day-to-day life.
Here are five ways to start practicing mindfulness:
Start with your breath
Your breath is a perfect way to anchor you within the present moment and to practice mindfulness. To begin, you can take a few minutes each day to focus on the sensation of your breath entering and leaving your body. You can breathe in through your nose and exhale through the mouth to truly focus on the sensation. The rhythm, depth, and temperature of your breath should be noticed without trying to change it. This simple practice can help you get grounded in the present moment and lessen stress.
2. Practice mindful eating
Eating mindfully is something that does not come so easy to most people. It involves savoring each bite of your food and engaging with the experience of eating. Instead of rushing through your meals, try to take in the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food. Maybe this looks like putting your phone down to truly focus on eating. Perhaps it is chewing slowly. Or it could be expressing gratitude for the nourishment you are receiving from the food. This practice can actually enhance your relationship with food and even promote better digestion.
To find out more about this topic, read our blog “Cultivating Good Mental Health for Intuitive Eating.”
3. Take mindful walks
Tuning into mindfulness on a walk is a great opportunity for some mental and physical health wellness! You can take various facets of your walk into consideration, from the feeling of your feet hitting the ground to the rhythm of your steps. You can even take in the sights and sounds around you. To really engage in mindfulness, you may want to leave your headphones at home. Instead of tuning into a podcast or playing your favorite songs, tune into the world around you. This can not only freshen up your mind, but it can also help you reconnect with nature.
4. Use a body scan
A body scan is a common mindfulness tool where you bring awareness to different areas of your body. You can start at your toes and slowly move upwards. As you scan your body upwards, notice any sensations you are feeling or areas of discomfort. This practice can help you release physical stress while promoting relaxation and improving your mind-body connection.
5. Observe your thoughts
Simply taking a few moments to sit quietly and observe your thoughts is a powerful mindfulness exercise. Instead of actively engaging with your thoughts or judging them, you can see your thoughts as clouds. These clouds are present but they will eventually pass by. This practice gives some space between you and your thoughts so you can detach from overthinking and greater calmness and mental clarity.
It is important that you view mindfulness as an approachable activity. To incorporate mindfulness into your life, you do not need a fancy toolkit or hours of free time at your disposal. Simple practices like the ones outlined and described above can make a major difference in how you move through daily life. You can just start small and be persistent, and that is enough! Mindfulness can have you cultivate greater self-awareness, lessen stress, and find more happiness in the present moment. Mindfulness is a gift that you can give yourself at any time.
Now that you know how to practice mindfulness, where can you start practicing it? For more information, our blog “5 Places to Practice Mindfulness in Hoboken, NJ.”
How do I make mindfulness a daily habit?
Having a mindfulness routine does not have to be anything grand- it is simply about integrating small, consistent practices into your life.
Begin with just a few minutes of mindfulness a day. Trying to set an unrealistic goal of having, for instance, two hours a day to dedicate to mindfulness is not sustainable for most people. Even just two to five minutes a day focusing on your breath or performing a body scan can do wonders for your mental and emotional health. Starting small can prevent feelings of overwhelm. Eventually, you can gradually increase your practice time so it feels more like a natural addition to your schedule.
You can also add mindfulness onto things that you already have incorporated into your schedule. For example, while you are on your morning commute to work, you may want to focus on how the train seat feels, the sounds of the train, and you can even observe the people around you. By associating this commute with mindfulness, it can make it easier to remember to practice mindfulness.
If that is not the way you want to practice mindfulness, you can always make it a more structured part of your routine. You can use visual or digital reminders to prompt mindful moments. You may want to place sticky notes with encouraging phrases, such as “Take a deep breath,” in places you visit often (e.g., your bedroom door, bathroom mirror, fridge, etc.). If you prefer something digital, you can set an alarm or use a mindfulness app to help you remember to pause and practice mindfulness throughout the day.
If you find yourself seriously struggling with mindfulness, it is okay to reach out for support. You can use mindfulness apps, videos, or podcasts for support. You can also seek the help of a mindfulness counselor at Anchor Therapy for more structured guidance. These resources can make it easy to follow and practice mindfulness.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager, Intake Coordinator, and Community Engagement Director at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark and is currently studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media/community presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
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