Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the present moment and putting all your energy and faith into it. Studies show that practising mindfulness on a regular basis reduces stress and increases your overall happiness and satisfaction with your life.
In this busy world full of technology, it’s extra important to take the time to be in the moment. By practising mindfulness, you’ll benefit, your loved ones will benefit, and your appreciation of your life and circumstances will improve.
Benefits
As we said above, mindfulness will increase your happiness and reduce your stress but the benefits don’t stop there! Your self-esteem will soar and you’ll find yourself feeling more at peace. Not only will you be able to better deal with stressful moments, but you’ll be able to enjoy the pleasurable ones with more clarity.
Health concerns typically improve if not disappear completely after practising mindfulness on a regular basis.
How To Do It
Most people think of mindfulness as meditation. And it can be if that’s how you want to practice it. Sit quietly with your eyes closed for anywhere from one minute to thirty minutes and concentrate on your breath. If you choose, chant a mantra in your head or out loud on every exhale. Pick a word that resonates with you — joy, peace, love… whatever you wish.
However, there are other ways to bring mindfulness into your everyday life. It can be as simple as being aware of and paying attention to everything you do, instead of thinking about other things, or multitasking.
Walking, eating, cleaning and showering — these are just a few things we do every day, often several times a day, and fantastic times to be mindful. For instance, take the time to focus on your breath while washing the dishes rather than worrying about the future.
Practice mindfulness while walking even if it’s just out to your car. Breathe and, if you choose, recite your mantra with every step. Feel the air go into your lungs, pay attention to the smells and feeling of the ground as you walk. Take time to notice things around you instead of rushing.
While showering, pay attention to how the water feels on your body, how your products smell, and feel a sense of refreshment as the water flows and relaxes you. Know that if you’re using sustainable beauty products, you’re doing good for your body and the earth.
Eating is a great time to practice mindfulness, and brings the added benefit of eating slower and therefore having fewer digestion issues. You’ll also know when you’re satisfied and can stop without overeating. Pay attention to the smell, texture, and taste of every mouthful. Savour it!
You’re Not Doing It Wrong!
So often, people give up after only a few minutes, or one session, because they feel they’re not doing it “correctly”. The truth is, there is NO wrong way to be mindful.
Know your mind WILL wander and you could feel a little uncomfortable, especially at first. This is perfectly OK, in fact, this is part of being mindful! Instead of focusing on where your mind wanders, do your best to return your mind to your breath, or whatever you’re concentrating on, and continue.
Join The Movement
As you can see, mindfulness is SO important for many reasons and we hope we’ve convinced you it’s easy to do on a daily basis. Join us at the Salon Movement for other fantastic ways you and your salon can be sustainable and healthy.
