It seems like everywhere we turn, we're bombarded with advice on how to live a better life. We're told to eat healthy, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly. But what about finding calm and mindfulness in a hectic life? It's important to find ways to destress and relax, both for our physical and mental health.
What exactly does it mean to be mindful? To be mindful is to enter a state of awareness where you are fully in the present. Take your time, slow down, and gently accept each thought, feeling, and sensation as they come without judgment.
Being mindful has been shown to help relieve stress and anxiety, strengthen memory, increase focus, and lead to happier, healthier lives.
Here is a simple mindfulness exercise you can try below
Place your feet flat on the floor, relax your back, and put your hands in your lab in a comfortable seated position. Take a deep breath slowly through your nose, and out through your mouth. Pay close attention to your breathing, feeling the sensation of the air coming in and your lungs, and the softness of your belly as it moves with your breath.
As thoughts come into your head, acknowledge it, then focus back on your breath as you go through this exercise. As you get into the rhythm of your breath, start becoming mindful of how your five senses are interacting with the world around you.
Touch – Feel the grooves of the chair against your back, and how the textures of the ground below your feet. Feel the movement of your belly as it rises against the backs of your hands as they lay in your lap.
Hear – Listen closely to your surroundings. Are there noises in the background that you’ve never noticed before?
Smell – What fragrances can you detect around you at this very moment? Are you able to identify where these smells are coming from?
Taste – What does your mouth taste like? Did you still taste the meal you ate? What is it that you’re tasting?
Sight – What do you see around you? If thoughts and responsibilities come to your mind as you look at your surroundings, take note but come back to focusing on just observing what you see in the present. Are there any details you’ve never noticed before?
This is just one of many ways you can practice mindfulness as you go through your daily life. Whenever you feel overwhelmed and stressed, take a step back, and try the exercise above. Just a few minutes is all it takes to give yourself greater focus and clarity, and you’ll find yourself more ready to tackle the obstacles that left you stressed just moments before.
Pro tip: Try practicing mindfulness as you use our Exfoliating Mitt, Ice Globes, or Gua Sha. Not only are these beauty tools amazing for your skin, they are a sensory delight and are a great way to help you focus on the present!
