Today we live our lives in a fast-forward routine. Do you recall which way you turn your door knob to open/close and lock your door? Most of us cannot recall and although it’s easy to live this way, it’s may not be the most ideal way to live. The wellness experts at Amrit have some ideas to assist you to live in the moment, or as some say, ‘stop and smell the roses’.
Experts say that living mindfully increases a sense of fulfillment. However, in our technology-driven, over-stimulated, instant-gratification filled lives, it seems that productivity is the goal. While being productive is not necessarily a negative, it can have a stressful effect when all one focuses on is the next target. There is a balance between being productive and being mindful—one just needs to be willing to go a little deeper to find it. Here are some techniques from Amrit’s wellness experts that can help you to be in the moment and enjoy the sense of balance that brings:
What Is “Mindfulness”?
According to the Greater Good Magazine published by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, mindfulness refers to the process of maintaining moment-by-moment awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and environment. Mindfulness is a simple art to master, it just takes practice, like all skills. Below are a few tips you can use to get on the path to a mindful existence.
1. Take Time To Mediate Every Morning
The practice of mindfulness requires little time and can easily fit into one’s busy schedule. According to Psychoneuroendocrinology which published a study that established a connection between meditation and psychological/neuroendocrine responses and stress reactivity, which found that those paused each morning to reflect on life, experienced reduced psychological stress and increased coping efforts. Simply begin your day by taking 25-30 minutes to be still and be grateful before you leap into your daily routine of pressing tasks, emails and other of life’s demands. You’ll find you have a fresher outlook each day.
2. Enjoy the Silence
In today’s world, we seem to have forgotten the art of silence and it’s value. To reclaim the valuable experience of silence, locate a quiet environment, be still, breathe deep and listen. Soon you will discover the sounds of silence—it’s unexpected beauty that brings awareness to yourself and your surroundings. You may hear the whisper of leaves from gentle breezes, ocean waves greeting the sandy shoreline, birds softly chirping to one another…you will again discover the joy of the sounds of life all around you.
3. Be Gentle with Yourself
Mindfulness is all about accepting everything for what it is and not lamenting what it should be. Whether you choose to focus on your thoughts, feelings, sensations or environment, remember that it is what it is, neither good or bad. Allow yourself to accept the present, for that is what it is: a present. Although we are trained to think in terms of black and white, with practice and patience, you will be able to obverse objectively and yourself and your life with peace and happiness and all that brings.
4. Eat Well
Science has proven that we are what we eat, your diet can have an impact on your overall emotional wellbeing. The saying of ‘good food is wise medicine’ is truer today than ever and eating well, meaning foods that contribute to our well-being, promotes energy, brain health, internal and external fitness. Diets high in sugar and processed ingredients have a negative effect on our body’s natural ability to heal and thrive. Simple choices of eating lower on the food chain—less processed foods, more natural foods with anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals— allow our mind and body to be balanced and healthy and combat stress on multiple levels.
5. Live in the Moment
All too often we focus on ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda’—what we would have done, what we could have done, what we should have done: this thinking creates unnecessary stress and anxiety. You may notice, when living in the past or future, is when accidents happen: we may drop a glass, bump into something, or might miss our exit sign on the highway. When we give our full attention to what we are doing, whether it be sitting in a meeting, driving down the highway, packing for a vacation, eating lunch with dear friends—being present gives oneself a joyful awareness of the moment.
Amrit Ocean Resort and Residences incorporates the Five Pillars of Wellness—Mindfulness, Nutrition, Fitness, Relaxation and Sleep—to assist individuals to discover their Personal Roadmap to Peace and Happiness. If you seek mindfulness in all areas of your life, please visit our wellness page today.
