How Mindfulness Can Help You To Live In The Moment
Mindfulness is something I can do for me and it’s my number one go to for self care. It doesn’t cost me anything, no special clothes, no chanting and I can do it anywhere, anytime and the benefits are numerous.
“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
I think of mindfulness as being in the moment, being aware of what I’m doing and what I’m thinking. It’s so easy to slip into autopilot mode and eat, work, sleep, repeat, day in, day out and the days weeks and months just race by.
I don’t want life to pass me by. How hard can it be to live in the moment?
It is hard to be fully in the moment! We live in a hectic world where everyone is busy and we want everything to be instant. We all have busy minds and our mind spends a lot of the time in the past, in the future, worrying, planning and judging. Rarely are we in the present, accepting things just as they are.
I started at a time when I was very stressed and mole hills were quickly turning into mountains. I knew I had to do something and a drop in meditation class, came along and off I went. I was very lucky that the first class had a huge impact on me. I felt so good that I was inspired to continue with the practice. I did and the mole hills weren’t even mole hills anymore.
Having a regular and consistent Mindfulness practice didn’t change or fix anything, what it did change was my perception of things. I felt like I had taken a big step back and I could see the trees not just the forest.
Since then meditation has supported me and still does through very stressful times. I feel empowered that I can take control and do this for myself. Meditation isn’t a quick fix and you will get the most benefit from regular practice as it is an accumulative process and it does get easier.
What Mindfulness will do, is give you an enormous sense of personal freedom and to me that is essential to self care.
About the author:
Kate Hubert is a Mindfulness Mentor for women, holds a Mindfulness Diploma from The Centre of Excellence and has completed The Power of Awareness online training.