A Day of Mindfulness
Recently I was reading Thich That Hanh’s book “The Miracle of Mindfulness” and one concept struck me deeply: a day of mindfulness. The idea is simple- slow down, engage in the present, allow yourself to fully experience the senses that each moment brings.
But if you are anything like me, life moves fast. Our days are often filled with responsibilities, expectations, and the never-ending-to-do-list. Caring for our families, keeping up with work, maintaining relationships and trying to fit in some self-care, it is easy to get caught up in the rush, constantly thinking of what’s next instead of being present in the now.
However, lately, I have noticed the times I feel most engaged, at peace, and content are the moments when I intentionally slow down. When I focus on my breath, enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, move my body, or play with my daughter without any distractions; these are the times life feels the fullest.
Simple Ways to Incorporate Mindfulness Into Your Day
If showing up in a more present way sounds like something you would like to incorporate into your life, here are a few simple ideas to get started.
1. Begin Your Day with Intention
As you wake each morning, take a few moments before carrying on with your routine to say a few words of gratitude and set an intention for your day. Intentions are not goals or to-do items, rather how you want to feel or who you want to be. Here are some guiding questions you can ask yourself to set intentions:
- What energy do I want to bring to my day?
- How do I want to respond to challenges?
-What qualities do I want to embody today? Examples: peace, gratitude, confidence, etc.
2. Eat Mindfully
Begin making it common practice to enjoy your meals with family or friends or even by yourself with limited distractions. While you prepare the food and eat, put down your phone and turn off the TV. Engage with your meal and use your senses to savor the favors and textures. Eat slowly, enjoy each bite.
3. Move Your Body
Create time to connect with yourself physically and mentally through movement. If it is a nice day, get outside in the sunshine. Feel the sun on your skin, wind in your hair, smell the fresh air. Engage your family or friends to be part of this time of movement.
4. Limit Distractions
Try setting aside specific times to check your phone or emails rather than reacting to every notification. Creating boundaries with technology allows for more moments of true presence.
5. End the Day with Gratitude
Before bed, reflect on three things that brought you joy that day. They don’t have to be big- maybe it was a kind word from a friend, a moment of stillness, or a beautiful sunset. Practicing gratitude helps shift your focus to the present and to positivity.
A Reminder to Live in the Moment, Mindfulness doesn’t require a full day at a retreat or a drastic lifestyle change. It is about weaving small, intentional micro-moments of happiness into your day. When we pause to truly be- to live breathe and feel in the present- we invite more joy and peace into our lives.
If you would like to read more about how to incorporate mindfulness into everyday life, I recommend reading “Peace Is Every Step” by Thich That Hanh. Recommended to me by a friend, this book provides simple vignettes of mindfulness we can all achieve on a daily basis.
So, I encourage you to try it! Choose one mindful practice to incorporate today and see how it shifts your experience. Let me know in the comments- what’s one way you bring mindfulness into your day?
