The One Art You Should Start Mastering: The Art of Slowing Down
Plus, a few tips to incorporate it into your daily routine.
In today’s hectic world wherewith one push of a button, immediate results became a norm, even a requirement, we seem to forget about cultivating the journey: the growing process of transforming a seed into a plant for the sake of instant gratification, that rush of dopamine as from a like button.
I assume the term mindfulness is already familiar to you. If you have managed to turn it into a lifestyle so that it prevails throughout fifty percent of your day, I salute you. You are becoming a superhuman, an extraordinary species among modern, agitated lifestyle.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness involves a particular kind of care: the moment-by-moment, non-judgmental awareness of thoughts, feelings, and sensations through noticing and accepting the moment for what it is, without labelling those thoughts or emotions as “right” or “wrong.” I like to think of it as soaking in the present moment, knowing it has been designed especially for you.
The lack of awareness of the existing moment can cause many difficulties because of the autopilot behaviours we are not even aware of performing. At the basis of those habitual, almost surviving-mode, performances lies fear and doubt. This is where mindfulness enters the scene, as the art of conscious living.
Mindfulness can come in lots of different shapes.
It could be a yoga practice that involves awareness.
It might include setting aside time for a meditation session during your morning routine or an evening chill.
It could mean practising attentiveness during everyday activities, such as washing the dishes or brushing your teeth.
I like to engage in it daily, whenever I remind myself to. I focus on thoughts that come up in my head. Whenever I drive and catch myself thinking: I wish the driver in front of me would hurry up, I label my thoughts as impatient, operating from the place of lack as I lure myself into thinking I lack time. Then, I return to my breath and concentrate on the road without judgment.
Whenever I read a book and notice that my thoughts drift away to some to-do list, I label them as worry, which is the culprit of stress. Again, I return to the breath before I carry on reading.
Such mindful living brought about many benefits:
- I perceive time abundantly. I no longer worry about not having something done because I do not fast-forward to any would-be scenarios. I am living here, in the now.
- I can swiftly recognize unfounded doubts or worries that, if not aware of, could send me into a downward spiral of stressful responses of my body and frantic thinking.
- I feel constantly satisfied and at ease. I worry much less.
- I became more spontaneous.
- My relationships drastically improved.
All because no intrusive, negative thoughts get in my way of projecting a fearful and stressful conditions. Remember, your thoughts and state of being drive your behaviour and unfolding of the events. That is why we repeat the same cycles of circumstances if not aware of thoughts playing on repeat in our minds.
Benefits of meditation and mindfulness.
Mindfulness brings so many advantages. I believe we are going through tumultuous times and are encouraged to enjoy simple moment, turn mundane into extraordinary. This is the only way to keep our sanity in a chaotic, unpredictable world.
Today, more than 700 studies are published annually on meditation and mindfulness.
The research of Harvard University tracked that people spend around 47% of their waking hours not focused on what they are currently engaged in. Mindfulness offers the opposite.
A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind.
— Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert in The Harvard Gazette
Meditation is the strongest mental practice that has the power to reset your happiness set point, thus turning you into an optimist and literally rewiring major regions in your brain.
Mindfulness can also affect the amount of grey matter density — which can strengthen your memory, compassion, introspection, and self-awareness.
It also helps us to look at things from a broader perspective and not take things personally, especially during the conflict. This can help us to be more understanding of our partner’s views and emotions, thus feel more compassion for them.
Regular practice of mindfulness will increase the activity of genes that can soothe a stress reaction in the heat of a moment, ultimately making you more able to deal with stress, as with regular meditation your cortisol level lowers.
What is more, when you’re meditating, your brain produces theta and alpha waves, which boost creativity and minimize depression.
How to practice mindfulness during the day?
I would like to share with you simple tips for incorporating attentiveness into your everyday activities:
- Learn to slowly greet the day. Slowly, but fully. Open your eyes and give thanks for being here on Earth one more day. Congratulations! You have made it this far. Some of us didn’t.
- Appreciate your ability to move your body, to get your feet on the ground, the opportunity to use the bathroom without anyone’s assistance. Congratulations! You are among the most fortunate ones. Paying attention to activities we tend to take for granted, shines a whole new light on your daily, mundane routine.
- Embrace the morning ritual of brewing your favourite beverage and taking it all in; the smell, the flavour, the time for yourself. Feel how the liquid is slowly gliding down your throat and how serene it makes you feel.
- Eat mindfully. Prepare your food beforehand, making a celebration out of it. Pick ingredients that suit your mood today. Arrange them neatly on the plate. If cooking for a longer period, turn on your favourite music. Give thanks to people who helped to prepare it, delivered ingredients to your local market. Cherish every bite while ravishing in the deliciousness of a home-cooked meal.
- When you step out into the world, show yourself as the best version of today. Give your one hundred per cent. Yours. Today. Not 100% of somebody else or what they may think is appropriate, but give as much as you can today with your good thoughts, kind wishes and sincere smile to others.
- When travelling to a destination (a workplace, a school, a home, a coffee shop), appreciate the view outside the window. Soak in the sunshine. Give thanks for the rain. Give thanks for the attire you get to wear. Become mindful of the journey you are on. Do not rush, just because everyone else seems to be hasty. Remember, you are waking up from the dream of striving for more because you realize that what you have, where you are and who you are is enough. You have cracked the code and tuned into the vibes of enoughness.
- When engaged in a task, perform it mindfully. It may take you longer at first than you are used to. That is okay. With time, you will master the art of enjoying the process, no matter the limit of time you pressured yourself into believing you are bound to. Time and space can only become limits if you allow them to wield such power over you. Washing the dishes? Pay attention to the warmth of the water, how the soap gets magnified with every brush you perform, treat your dishes with respect for how they serve you.
- Cleaning. Oh, this one is fun. I have not anticipated to enjoy housecleaning as much as I do once I started applying mindfulness to this task. I focus on my breathing, give thanks for the space I get to tidy up because it is mine and serves me well.
- Take time for yourself in the afternoon. Light a candle. Cuddle yourself in the blanket. Meditate, I recommend you this technique to distance yourself from the craze of everyday life. Read a book with awareness. Make notes. Soak in the knowledge of this present moment that is being revealed to you.
- When taking a shower, let the water wash away the burden, the worry of the day. Stay in there longer than you used to, savour each touch and drop of the water. Nourish your skin with your favourite lotion and enjoy the process of taking care of your body.
- Upon closing the day, lay in bed on your back with the spine comfortably pressed into the mattress. Give thanks for the day, conjure the feeling of satisfaction and peace. Your state upon going to sleep penetrates deeply into your subconscious, thus fixing your mood for the next day. If you wind down feeling at ease, excited about the next day, tomorrow you will wake up satisfied with a confident self-belief. Subconscious shapes your reality.
Why do we find mindfulness difficult? Well, human nature has been conditioned to burden the attention with the past misfortunes, wallow in history, walk down the memory lane. The human mind is prone to worrying, doubting one’s ability and conjuring anxious thoughts about the future.
Mindfulness takes practice. Just like every bad habit to spread its roots demands repetition, so does positive changes. They require time and devotion to transform our lives for the better. The more we activate the intentional brain, the stronger it gets. The brain is a plastic organ, and with repetition, you can mould it into your servitude.
If you wish to get familiar with mindfulness practice, I recommend you the book of Jon Kabat-Zinn: Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life.
Thank you for reading!
I write to empower and inspire with self-love. Your biggest strength lies in your authenticity, so embrace the whole package. Wear your unique attitude proudly.