Five Ways to be Mindful

 In today’s fast paced world, sometimes it is difficult to live life in the present.  In order to have a healthy lifestyle, it is important to pay attention to each situation unfolding before you, and not be distracted by the to-do lists, emails, and social media updates that are more and more present these days.  A state of mindfulness is being aware of what’s going on right now, including how you are thinking, feeling and reacting.  Earlier in the blog, we discussed meditation and some applications to introduce you to the practice.  However, there are a number of other ways that can help you to achieve mindfulness besides meditation that we will cover below:

  1. Breathe Deeply

It’s worth trying some deep breathing. You can do this when you wake up in the morning, in the car, before bed, or by simply taking a 5 minute break at some point in the day.  One of the more common deep breathing techniques is the 4-7-8, where you breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breathe for 7 seconds and audibly exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds forcing almost all of the air out of your lungs. This technique works wonders to calm the anxiety caused by our over-scheduled lives.

  1. Practice Mindfulness While Showering

The shower is a great place to be mindful. Instead of letting your mind re-live past events or trying to plan out your day, concentrate on the idea that you are taking this time to clean your body and mind.  Focus on the feeling of the water hitting your body.  Using a naturally relaxing scented product, such as an organic lavender body wash can make this process easier and get you in a great mindset to start your day.

  1. Drink Organic Tea 

Organic teas are another great way to have a mindful start to your day.  Rather than gulping down a cup as you rush out the door, smell the tea you have selected while you listen to the boiling water.  Watch as the clear water is coloured by the steeping tea.  Lift the cup in both hands and feel it warm them.  Take a small first sip and really concentrate on detecting all the intricacies in the flavour of the tea.  See, now you are really enjoying the moment and will be in a much better mindset when you walk out your front door.

Another benefit of many organic teas is that they contain natural anti-oxidants, so they are also good for your body.

  1. Make Mindful Moments out of Your Daily Routines

You have different activities during the day that happen in each and every one of them: washing your face, brushing your teeth, doing your hair.  Don’t just do them as a habit on auto-pilot, make them a mindful experience.   

One example that helps you to take time for yourself and gets you perfectly smooth and supple lips is with an organic lip care routine.  It is an extremely relaxing, nourishing and soothing process that we recommend you do before going to bed. First exfoliate your lips by using your favourite Nat’s Lip Scrub applying a small amount with your finger tips and scrubbing in small circles, focusing on the feeling of the sugar cane gently exfoliating your lips.  Complete four or more 4-7-8 breathing cycles that we described from before, letting the nourishing oils of the scrub hydrate your lips for 1 to 3 minutes.  Finally, remove the scrub with a warm, wet wash cloth.  The result is soft lips, a relaxed state of mind, and a great night’s sleep!

  1. Limit Your Screen Time

Yes, this even includes social media!   We know that it is difficult to avoid how pervasive social media has become in our everyday lives, but it is important that when you are spending time with family and friends to mute your notifications, and be present in order to get the most enjoyment out of these good moments in life.  Setting an overall daily limit, or time blocks where you allow yourself to use your devices, and being firm with yourself to follow these limits, is a good way to start to kick the habit of being distracted by your online life.  Take a walk outside and experience the journey, or read a book to allow your mind to escape into a new world instead of the concerns in your own.  But most importantly, turn off your device from time to time and just let your mind focus on what’s around you.