One aspect of living a more peaceful and fulfilling existence is being aware of what you’re doing. Many individuals take for granted the magic awareness has.
When was the last time you enjoyed your morning coffee on the porch instead of on your way out the door, rushing to work? When was the last time you enjoyed a dinner out with friends without the temptation to check your phone every five seconds?
One day — when everything is said and done — you’ll look back on specific moments in life and you’ll either feel regret or satisfaction. It’s my hope that it’s the latter.
With that, I want to introduce five ways to incorporate mindfulness practices in day-to-day life. These practices are made to cultivate presence, so feel free to alter them to fit your lifestyle:
Be mindful of the music you consume
Have you heard of the saying, “you are what you eat”? I think the same logic can be applied to the music you choose to listen to — you can be influenced by what you allow into your headspace.
Making the effort to incorporate positive and uplifting music into your playlist can have positive effects on your mood both short and long term.
I’m not oblivious to the fact that it isn’t realistic to listen to “high vibe” music everyday because sometimes we need music to cater to our less than pleasant moods such as sadness and anger. A good practice to have is creating a music experience that’s 80% “high vibe” and 20% “other.”
Eliminate multitasking
I used to be a multitasker myself, but I eventually realized I never really got anything done by working on different things at the same time.
“Quality over quantity” is the perfect mantra when it comes to working on different tasks and projects throughout the day. It’s better to do five things on your to-do list really well than ten things poorly.
Get grounded first thing in the morning (whatever that means to you)
Many of us are used to starting our day in a hurry. Our alarm clock jolts us awake, we rush to brush our teeth, comb our hair, get dressed and grab breakfast on the way out the door.
But what if I told you there’s another option to that frantic routine?
Waking up just 30 minutes before your normal time can give you the luxury to do something first thing in the morning to get you grounded.
There are many different ways to get grounded: light stretching accompanied with deep breaths, making a gratitude list, prayer, yoga, meditation, reading, sitting in silence with a cup of tea, etc.
Whatever activity puts you in a relaxed state is welcomed! Trust me, you’ll feel more in control of your day once you allow yourself to set the pace.
Turn off notifications
I haven’t had my social media notifications on since 2018. Other miscellaneous notifications are silenced at certain times everyday (especially on weekends).
This allows me to be present during different segments of my day when I don’t want to be distracted by the demands of other people.
Start a hobby
One of my mantras these past few months has been “KEEP HOBBIES ALIVE!”
For so long, I had the mindset that I couldn’t (or shouldn’t) make time for my hobbies when I was in school or when I was working because I believed my whole day should only consist of things that either made me money or contributed to my academic career.
Sure, it’s hard when you have a full schedule of school or work full-time, but replacing the hours you spend on social media or binge watch Netflix with a hobby that sets your soul on fire is such a great feeling.
Even if you can make time for a hobby only on weekends, do it. Hobbies are what keeps us inspired.
These five mindfulness practices are a great place to start on your journey to living a more intentional life.
I would love to hear your thoughts on these mindfulness practices in the comment section. Do you already practice mindfulness in your day? Which of these practices will you incorporate in your day this week?
For more on mindful living, visit my minimalism or inner dialogues page. To stay connected, follow @aaliyahinspired on Instagram and Tiktok.
Leave a Reply