As we enter our twenties, the stress of college, life, relationships, jobs – and everything in between – can start to build up. It can be hard to manage all of the things that we have on our plates, but thankfully, there are many ways to stay calm and focused through this often difficult and confusing time of our life.
Mindfulness, by definition, is: “a mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations.”
Mindfulness is essentially being aware of your thoughts and feelings, and listening to what your body and mind are telling you. Instead of repressing an emotion, mindfulness encourages you to acknowledge it and to understand where it is coming from. There are many mindfulness techniques that you can practice in order to tap into your mind and body. Our twenties are probably some of the busiest years of our lives — and yes, it may be difficult to find time to sit down and be present with yourself. However, the most beneficial thing that you can do for yourself is to try and take at least five or ten minutes a day to sit down and do some of these.
- Mindful Breathing
-
Just like meditating, taking the time to calm yourself and focus on your breathing is a great way to regain focus and calm yourself in times of stress. No, you don’t need to sit down on a yoga mat to do this — you don’t even need to be sitting at all! Wherever you are, if you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, or just feel like you need a minute to yourself, you can do this. Breathe in and out, in and out, in and out. In through your nose and out of your mouth. Close your eyes and don’t think about anything. Try to let your mind go blank and only focus on your breathing. Once you feel ready and calm, you can open your eyes and take charge of yourself for the rest of the day!
- Gratitude Meditation
-
In our fast-paced and busy lives, we sometimes forget to take time and think about what we are grateful for. This exercise can be altered to how much time you have and how much you want to reflect on. Here are the basic steps: try to find a quiet place to sit down. Start this exercise by looking around you and reflecting on something small — it can be the water that you are drinking. Feel a sense of gratitude for this. Next, reflect on a friend or a loved one. Think about someone who is special and close to you, and feel gratitude towards them. Next, think about something that you’re grateful for today. It can be as simple as: “I’m grateful that my friend and I got coffee together this morning.” Lastly, reflect on yourself. Feel a sense of gratitude for your mind, your body and for the life that you live. This gratitude meditation reminds us that no matter the life we live, we all have things we are grateful for.
- Mindful Listening
-
Let’s not forget that as important as we think our lives are, it is also important to pay attention to the things that are going on in the lives of our friends and loved ones. In order to be a good friend, we need to be a good listener. First, ask yourself if there is anything going on at the moment that can prevent you from being a good listener. If there is, then try and talk about it to get it out of the way, or tell yourself that you can talk/think about it later — after you listen. Next, in order to let the other person know that you are there for them, show them emotion. Reflect on what you are hearing by talking with them and giving them body cues that you are there for them. Acknowledging the person that you are listening to and giving them your full attention will make them feel heard and loved. This technique may not appear beneficial to you and your own mindfulness, but it is. We live in a world of almost eight billion people, and you are surrounded by friends, family and loved ones who need your support and empathy. Part of being in a good mindset with yourself is being there for others and turning your focus away from internal dilemmas.
- Pay attention
-
As I said before, we are all living fast-paced lives. For some of us, our whole world is on a phone or a computer. As technology improves and our lives become busier, it can be hard to pay attention to life. One of the most beneficial things we can do — and one of the main components of mindfulness — is to pay attention to ourselves. Listen to your mind and your body, and give it the attention that it needs. Check in with yourself often and ask yourself how you’re feeling. Are you tired? Hungry? Grouchy? Whatever you’re feeling, it’s important to put ourselves before our priorities and learn to really take care of our mind from the inside out.
- Be present, and live in the moment
-
Last, but not least, one of the most important components of being mindful is being present. Look for the things in your life that make you happy and seek those out. Don’t be stuck thinking about the past and don’t get caught up in worrying about the future. Focus on the things that are happening right now. Pay attention to yourself, your relationships and your life. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to live in the moment! Life is unpredictable and anything can happen. If you do your best to be present with yourself and others, then you are being a mindful person.
Hopefully some of these practices can help to calm you down, even on the busiest and craziest of your days. As much as we are worrying about the future — graduating college, getting jobs, starting new relationships, etc. — we need to be as present as we can right now to ensure a good future for ourselves. Live your life with gratitude, be hopeful for yourself, be confident in yourself and be mindful!
https://mindfulnessexercises.com/8-mindfulness-exercises-for-beginners/#tab-con-4