WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

By greatist.com - Brett Larkin

Here’s the problem: “Mindfulness“ is talked about so frequently these days, by everyone from Oprah to the CEO of LinkedIn, and encapsulates so many concepts that it’s become a catch-all phrase. But many of us are unsure of what it really means.

People I polled defined it as “being in a yogic state,” “being fully present,” or “thinking only about the task at hand." A few people told me they think it’s a form of meditation. Others said it means “not forgetting stuff”—in which case I’m the worst at mindfulness since I’ve lost two pairs of iPhone headphones in the past week.

The dictionary defines mindfulness as “a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.“

In case you didn’t find this definition particularly enlightening (you're not alone), here’s my attempt to break down mindfulness into bite-sized chunks that will make your life way more awesome.

1. Get out of your head

One of the reasons I find the word mindfulness especially confusing is that it actually has nothing to do with your mind—and 100 percent to do with being present in your physical body.

When you’re present, you’re not thinking about the past or future. You’re rooted firmly in this moment with the sights, smells, and sensations that are around you right now.

When I'm in yoga class, this means striving to enjoy the pose I’m in (instead of wondering what we’re going to do next) and focusing on the ambiance of the studio—the light, the colours, the music (instead of thinking about where I’m going after class).

The concept of getting out of your head and into your body extends way beyond the studio. As opposed to texting or composing an email, focus on tasting every flavor in the chai latte in front of you. Rather than thinking about how to interject in a meeting, notice the overall energy of the conference room, truly listen to what your boss has to say, and notice that his consistent pencil tapping means he’s nervous. When you simply take note of the tense energy (instead of subconsciously being a part of it), you crack a joke to set people’s fears at ease instead of just launching into your presentation. Boom—mindfulness scores you a promotion.

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