It’s hard to stay in the moment. You might always be lamenting the past and worried about the future, but rarely take the time to think about the present. But in truth, the present is the only thing you truly have. Everything else has gone or is yet to be determined.
It can be beneficial to practice mindfulness throughout the day. We’re doing a deep dive into mindfulness today, exploring how it works, what you can do to achieve a mindful headspace, and how it affects your overall well-being.
Key takeaways
- Mindfulness is a practice that involves staying present in the moment.
- Mindfulness can have many benefits on your overall well-being.
- You can practice mindfulness at any point of the day.
What is mindfulness?
You’ve probably heard the word “mindfulness” thrown around, but what does it actually mean? And how can you practice mindfulness throughout the day?
Mindfulness is a practice, but it’s also a constant state of mind. It consists of consistently focusing your awareness on the present as each moment passes. To be mindful is to root yourself in your body and mind, right here and right now.
While it can be done during meditation, yoga, or other mindful activities, you can also practice it in your day-to-day activities: working, walking, cleaning, cooking, and laying on the couch, basically anytime.
It’s part of our nature to overthink, overanalyze, and constantly try to figure out and fix things or look for patterns. That’s just the way we’re wired. While there is a time and a place to do so, problem-solving shouldn’t be on your mind 24/7.
Mindfulness allows you to retrain your brain and body to settle into the present, giving yourself patience and compassion and teaching your mind to stay calm and root itself in the moment.
Mindfulness can help you retain focus, avoid stress, and increase energy and motivation
Why should we practice mindfulness?
The benefits of mindfulness are many and have been researched since the late 1970s. These are some of the potential benefits that mindfulness can provide:
- Improved cognitive ability.
- Slowed brain aging.
- Reducing symptoms of stress.
- An increased sense of well-being.
- Helping deal with pain management.
- Improving quality of life for those with chronic conditions - and those without.
How to be mindful throughout the day
Check in with your body
Most things that go on in your body you’re usually not focusing on - you automatically breathe, your heart beats, and your body works away even when you’re unaware of it all.
Checking in with your body is noticing the sensations of the automatic robot inside of you and figuring out if any discomfort or feelings are due to your actions. Are you feeling tense somewhere? Any aches or pains? Bringing these to your attention can help you focus on taking better care of your body.
Pay attention to your heart
Pay attention to your heart right now. There it is, beating away, as it always does. Is it going slow? Fast? Connecting emotions to how your heart is beating can help you realize where these emotions originate and how they correlate with your body on a physical level. After all, your heart is the center of your body and existence.
Practice the centering exercise
The centering exercise is a great starting point for those interested in mindfulness, especially since it takes only a minute. It consists of a twelve-breath exercise that allows your mind to transition from stress, living in the past, or worrying about the future, to being completely focused on the present. Find a tutorial here.
Fire up your five senses
Sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch: these are the five senses your body has been blessed with. When practicing mindfulness, you want to be aware of all of these. What are you seeing? What are you smelling? What’s the taste in your mouth? What do the things around you feel like?
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Practice active listening
Most people are thinking of responses while another person is speaking. If you want to be mindful, break this pattern by practicing active listening. Instead of thinking about what you’re going to say afterward, place your full attention on the speaker and listen with an open heart, mind, and of course, ears.
You’ll notice a change in empathy and connection as your conversations become more deeply rooted in the present.
How to use mindfulness in everyday life
Practice gratitude
It’s easy to think about things that go wrong, but you should also take time out of your day to practice gratitude and focus on positive things that are happening or have happened. Bringing positive aspects of your life to the forefront of your mind lets you become a more active participant in the good things that life has to offer.
Observe your thoughts
This one might be challenging, but who isn’t up for a challenge? Right now, take a moment to think about what’s going on in your brain. Is your internal monologue going off? Are you thinking of something in particular? Is there a thought meandering around the back of your mind? By connecting with your mind, you’re able to live in the moment.
Mindful eating/fuelling your body
As satisfying as it is to scarf down a delicious and healthy meal, mindful eating can be even more beneficial. Most of the time, you probably don’t pay attention to what you’re eating and how you’re eating, you just know that the grub is getting in your belly.
When you concentrate on each mouthful, take your time to chew, and enjoy the sensations and flavors without distractions, it can even benefit your digestive system.
Fuelling your body doesn’t just mean eating healthy. There are more things you can do to jumpstart your body and help you feel relaxed and focused.
These CBD drops are made using the whole hemp plant so you can get the benefits of all terpenes and cannabinoids. The bottom line of these drops is to help you enjoy greater focus, get more restful sleep, and feel calm during the day, all things that can help you practice mindfulness throughout the day.
Observe your surroundings
Observing your surroundings is an easy way to practice mindfulness in your day-to-day life. It’s as easy as taking a look around you. Where are you? Maybe at the office, surrounded by people and paperwork.
Perhaps you’re at home, looking at the lit candle on your bedside table and the nighttime view. Maybe out in nature, looking at trees and observing the moss beneath your feet. Wherever you are, take an interest in every detail surrounding you.
Focus on your breath
Although breathing is usually on auto-pilot, taking control of it can help you be in the present. Practicing breathing techniques and focusing on the repetitive feeling of the air inhaling through your nose, filling your lungs, and exhaling through your mouth can help center and root yourself in the present.
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