A Start to Mindfulness for the Broken Minds and Souls

In today's society, humans are so wrapped up in the "rat race;" the "Get up and go" scene. They never really take a moment to spend time with themselves; to nourish their inner beings, at all. Then, we have the tendency to sit back and wonder why we feel the way that we do. Depressed? Hopeless? Lack of purpose? Sick? Stressed? Maybe even angry and impatient all of the time. (I sadly see this way too often.)

This behavior is what makes the practice of mindfulness worth so much more than just being in tune with yourself. Practicing being mindful every waking day; whether it being at night before bed, in the magic of the morning (which I highly suggest), or midday...maybe just for a few minutes. You would be surprised, drastically, at how much more one person could take on daily and how they would be able to handle every day, stressful, situations in life.

There are a few key things to follow and to remember with mindfulness for beginners and everyone else:

#1 Start SMALL...Then BUILD it up!

As with anything else that you begin to practice on, you always start off small. You have to start somewhere, so DO NOT stress and get overwhelmed. Though, there will be times where you will just want to put it down, throw your hands up and go back to what you're used to. I promise you, it's so worth it. Hang in there.

Speaking on starting small, invest in a timer. (Phone timer works, as well, but with my routine, I try my best to avoid cell phones and every day distractions. It just doesn't fall into place with MY routine. Remember, everyone's routine is different.)

If it is your first time ever trying out a mindfulness exercise, start your timer for thirty seconds, one minute, two minutes, or even five minutes. It is whatever you feel comfortable with or have enough time for. Getting in the zone to be mindful can be a tedious process and a difficult task. For some it's easier, and for others it can be extremely difficult. BUT if you stick to it, you will literally be surprised at how much a few seconds with just SITTING with yourself and your feelings can do to change the entire day for the better! It truly is a miraculous transformation you will begin to see once time goes on.

#2 Be practical with practices!

I cannot stress this enough. (I will speak on natural sleep/wake cycles in a moment), but use your best judgement. For instance, if you practice your mindfulness in the magic of the mornings, and you work a late night shift every single night; DO NOT set your alarm for the wee hours of the morning. There are plenty hours out of a day that allow for your mindfulness techniques to be shifted around and done at a later time. You can switch up the routine and timing, if possible for you. Doesn't hurt to finagle things up and see what works for you!

Side note: Mindfulness will not be as effective if you do not receive the proper sleep you need to function, now, will it? Sleep is detrimental to achieving this goal on bettering oneself.

#3 Au Naturale Sleep Cycles! Your Best Friend!

Now-a-days, it's tempting to, after a long hard day, take one of your sleep aides or prescription sleeping pills, but the best route is to go natural. (This does not pertain to everyone; as I am one of these that struggle with health issues that require some medication.)

When you establish a natural sleep/wake cycle, your brain functions on a quicker and much healthier level, therefore, making mindfulness easier to achieve and makes it so much more effective.

Also, speaking on naturally, it doesn't just mean going to bed and waking up with absolutely no help from outside sources. That's not what I mean, by any means. Most of us need an alarm; as our eyes don't just pop open as soon as morning hits for most.

My advice... Invest in a soft glowing alarms that, rather than jar and scare you awake, play nature's sounds. (Not the bright obnoxious and loud alarm clocks or old timer clocks.) Nature's sounds in like the soft running water creeks, the crackling of a campfire, or thunderstorms in the distance. It really is soothing on the brain, lightly awakens you, and has a lighter transition from sleep to wake. Eventually, your body will adapt and get used to it. The goal is to try to start the day with as minimal stress as possible!

#4 "I DON'T HAVE TIME" is not an excuse!

The biggest and most important piece of advice I can give you when it comes to this is to utilize all of what is around you. TRUST. I have children. Children? That's fine. Involve them! Teaching them a healthy mindful habit will never hurt. It's just a part of being a healthy human being.

Example; when I was in rehab for Trauma in my life, the R.A.'s and therapists based every single day on "Mindfulness." Never a second went by with out being mindful, and, boy, I am thankful. Every morning, while each woman in the house had woken up at 6:30 AM, made their breakfast, and had to be at the table for 6:45 AM, we had the ability to talk to one another. But once 6:45 hit, that was a wrap. No speaking. No noise. It was complete silence. The "No Talking" rule, ensured we were worried solely on present time. Not the past. Not the future, but all about your food and how it tastes, how you feel that morning, and to be aware of your surroundings. To be honest, it left with me with a stronger appreciation for food and everything else that we take for granted. Especially made me realize how much we really miss out on around us.

This technique also allowed for you to have 20 minutes to reflect on the day ahead.

Try it with your family or make up a new routine if that technique doesn't fit with your family values; whatever suites you, your family, beliefs, values, and lifestyle.

Or, if that isn't your thing, and the bathroom is the only way to escape and have some personal space—use the bathroom! Sit on the tub or on the toilet, which ever you prefer, and light a candle. (Set a relaxing and stable/mindful mood) and do a two or three minute meditation, deep breathing exercise, or (if you have a higher power) a simple prayer. I promise, it is better than nothing.

Using our surroundings helps the mind get creative and it also reminds us that nothing is impossible, even in circumstances that might seem less than ideal. Time to get out of the "I don't have time" excuses!

#5 We are not perfect; don't expect to be either!

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is ever bound to go perfectly. Especially when you are steadily practicing. Mindfulness is something that you could practice and practice and never stop practicing. Please, do not expect things to work out or go great every time. Actually, when it comes to spirituality and the spiritual self, there is no such right or wrong way. It's simply learning the art of being human beings.

#6 Move to the point of discomfort and move past that comfort zone!

Most of us live our lives hidden. Hidden behind fears of failure. Fears of rejection. Fears of anything that we aren't good at. We have a natural fear of "Vulnerability." DO NOT be afraid of it, instead, choose to embrace it. This is the goal of mindfulness. Cherish it. Inch towards the end of your comfort. Imagine it as a cliff. Inch towards the edge; meaning what makes you uncomfortable and LEAP! Find the edge in your practice, and allow your self to be vulnerable. When we embrace that vulnerability trait, we can eventually find it in ourselves to be vulnerable to others and be more open.

#7 Include all components of your self: Spiritual, Mental, and Physical!

Many mindfulness practices and exercises coincide with one another, and by that, I mean what may be a physical practice can also have a spiritual meaning, etc. Another example of this, is journaling. This mental activity can also be a form of spiritual written prayer. Also, a simple walk can be a form of moving meditation. Look into some exercises, and you would be surprised at the plethora of exercises that they have.

#8 Last and not least, just let it flow!

Every day we live on this earth, is never set in stone. Our needs and routines change up. Your mind and body may need something one day, and the next you may need to nourish it in a different way.

Make a list. A list of things you enjoy, from the littlest to the most grandiose things. Preferably things that can fit with and are appropriate for when you choose to do your mindful routine; Morning, midday, or night. Things you know you can accomplish.

Choose a few, mix it up (based on how you're feeling that day, what inspires you at the time, and how much time you can get set aside for the day.)

The world is ever changing and so are people. My practices can and usually do change on a daily basis. It's never set. This just reflects the flexibility we need to have and make use of, for the rapidly changing world around us.

We always feel our best when we value ourselves, nourish our souls, and treat ourselves as temples, given our situations, circumstances, and resources. Eventually, how we treat ourselves translates into how we treat others, and portrays the healthiness of our relationships with those around us. It also shows how we share our gifts and talents with the world. In the magic of the morning or the sparkle of the afternoon, we can promote our inherent need for ritual and connection, to lead us through this complex universe and world with a better sense of ease and health.