Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness: Start Your Journey Today
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While mindfulness is not a new concept, its use has become much more widespread in recent years. But what exactly is it? In this post, I am offering you a complete guide to all things mindfulness with beginning activities to get started today. In this post I will cover all things mindfulness, with a wealth of resources along the way!
Table of Contents
What is mindfulness?
What are the benefits?
Mindfulness activities for beginners
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a mental practice rooted in the Buddhist tradition, which involves bringing one's attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity, and non-judgment. It is about intentionally paying attention to the present moment, including thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment, without getting caught up in past regrets or future worries.
When I first encountered the idea of mindfulness, I was pretty skeptical. While I believed the knowing yourself and spending quiet time was important, I incorrectly believed that mindfulness meant you meditated by completely emptying your thoughts. Problem is, I have way to many thoughts to empty out! After spending some time reading up on mindfulness, I realize now that I had the concept completely wrong. Here are some of my key takeaways of what mindfulness actually is:
Present Moment Focus: Mindfulness involves directing attention to what is happening in the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. While this doesn’t happen for me all the time (it can be hard to completely banish anxieties about the past and future, it’s a great practice to instead dwell on the present since that’s where we always are anyway!)
Non-judgmental Awareness: Mindfulness encourages an attitude of acceptance and non-judgment towards our experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Rather than labeling experiences as good or bad, right or wrong, mindfulness invites us to observe them with curiosity and compassion. Instead of feeling guilty for my anxiety, I am now working toward befriending my anxiety. How do my anxieties work to help me? Can I have control over what makes me feel anxious? What do my anxieties have to teach me about myself? This was a huge eye opening experience for me, and one that I am still working to better cultivate.
Openness and Curiosity: Mindfulness invites us to approach each moment with openness and curiosity, as if seeing things for the first time. While we are always with our thoughts, it is a different experience to think more reflectively about the why behind our thoughts. Why is this thought creeping up at this moment? Can I learn anything about my values, fears, and goals through what thoughts come to mind when I have the space to think freely? Again, try to be non-judgmental and forgiving of whatever comes to mind.
Self-Regulation: Through mindfulness, we learn to observe our thoughts and emotions without becoming entangled in them. This heightened awareness gives us greater freedom to choose how we respond to challenging situations, rather than reacting impulsively out of habit. This has also been huge for me. Self-regulation can have so many great benefits across the many aspects of your life, but it is so hard to do! By learning to mentally let things go, I have noticed significant improvements in my ability to move forward and be productive.
What are the benefits?
Although I’ve mentioned a few above, I feel that it’s worth listing out some of the biggest benefits to practicing mindfulness. These are a few, science-backed benefits to regularly practicing mindfulness.
Stress Reduction: Mindfulness helps individuals manage stress by promoting relaxation, reducing the production of stress hormones like cortisol, and fostering a greater sense of calm and equanimity. I have always been a worrier, and as a mom the mental load can at times be completely overwhelming. Previously my coping mechanisms were more rooted in impulse buying, alcohol, or zoning out on my computer (all of which caused feelings of guilt). Mindfulness has really helped me to destress in a healthy way and has helped me break the cycle of stress and guilt.
Enhanced Focus and Concentration: By training the mind to stay present and focused on the task at hand, mindfulness improves attentional control, cognitive function, and the ability to sustain concentration over time. By training my mind to focus on the present, I’ve noticed that I am better able to tune out external stimuli and really focus on the task at hand.
Greater Self-Awareness: Mindfulness practice encourages individuals to observe their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations with curiosity and non-judgment. This increased self-awareness can lead to greater insight into one's thought patterns, behaviors, and habits. It’s strange to say that previously I didn’t really know myself, but in reflecting back, I really didn’t! I felt that I was always reactive, whereas now I know what triggers my anxiety, how different thoughts impact my mental health, and am able to feel more in control. Knowing myself better has put me in a more proactive state where I can mentally prepare myself ahead of stressful situations.
Increased Compassion and Empathy: Mindfulness fosters a sense of compassion and empathy towards oneself and others. By cultivating a non-judgmental attitude and greater emotional regulation, individuals become more attuned to the needs and experiences of those around them. By better understanding my emotions, I am able to better empathize with the emotions of others around me. This has made me a much better teacher, mother, and wife.
Improved Relationships: Mindfulness enhances interpersonal relationships by promoting active listening, empathetic communication, and authentic connection with others. By being fully present and engaged in interactions, individuals can foster deeper and more meaningful connections with their loved ones. So many times in my life I have not really been present with those around me. On the surface, I may have looked like I was listening, but I was instead mentally thinking about other things. Mindfulness is about living in the present, and this focus naturally encourages more meaningful conversations and interactions with the people you are with.
Better Sleep Quality: Mindfulness can improve sleep quality by reducing rumination, worry, and anxiety that can interfere with restful sleep. By practicing mindfulness techniques before bedtime, individuals can promote relaxation and create a conducive environment for sleep. I like to spend the last thirty minutes before bed winding down with soft lighting, reflective journaling, and thinking about the day I just experienced and the next day to come. This has allowed for huge improvements in my ability to go to sleep quickly and less intrusive thoughts waking me up at night. I’ve already dealt with my anxieties during the day, so they are not creeping up for me to deal with in my dreams.
Mindfulness activities for beginners
So you’ve made it this far, which means you must still be interested! Here are some great activities for those interested in starting to incorporate mindfulness practices into their lives.
1: Mindful Breathing: Find a quiet place to sit comfortably. Close your eyes or softly gaze at a fixed point. Take a few deep breaths, then allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm. Bring your attention to the sensation of your breath entering and leaving your body. Notice the rise and fall of your chest or the sensation of air passing through your nostrils. Whenever your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to your breath. To do this, I have found these breathwork stickers to be super helpful. I have one on my desk, on my computer, and on my notebook that I carry around with me!
2. Body Scan Meditation: Lie down in a comfortable position on your back. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to relax your body. Starting from your toes, bring your awareness to each part of your body, slowly moving up to your head. Notice any sensations, tension, or areas of relaxation as you scan each body part. Allow yourself to fully experience the present moment without judgment. If you’re not somewhere you can lay down, then you can of course do this while seated at your desk or somewhere else.
Journaling is a great way to cultivate awareness and presence.
3. Mindful Walking: Take a walk outdoors or indoors in a quiet space. Pay attention to each step you take, noticing the sensations of your feet touching the ground. Feel the movement of your body as you walk, the air against your skin, and the sounds around you. If your mind wanders, gently guide your focus back to the sensation of walking. When doing this, I highly recommend that you do not bring your phone or listen to any music or audiobook. Have some time when you are truly unplugged and present.
4. Mindful Eating: Choose a small piece of food, such as a raisin, nut, or slice of fruit. Take a few moments to observe the food with all your senses—notice its color, texture, smell, and any sounds it makes when you touch or move it. Slowly bring the food to your mouth, taking small bites and savoring each bite mindfully. Notice the flavors, textures, and sensations as you chew and swallow. This may seem silly to do at first, but you will be surprised at how many physical and mental sensations are tied up in eating- which is why so many of us (myself included) tend to stress eat!
5. Five Senses Check-In: Take a few minutes to check in with each of your five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Notice five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This activity helps bring your awareness to the present moment and ground you in your immediate environment. This is often called a “grounding technique,” and is taught by psychologists to help people wind down from stressful situations. I find this to be extremely helpful. I’ve even posted this printable in my office to help remind me when I am stressed.
6. Guided Meditation: Listen to a guided meditation or mindfulness audio recording. There are many resources available online or through meditation apps that offer guided meditations for beginners. Follow along with the instructions, allowing yourself to relax and let go of tension as you listen. This can also be played while driving in your car if you’ve had a stressful day at work. I much prefer this over listening to the news on my way home.
7. Mindful Journaling: Set aside time each day to write in a journal about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Practice writing without judgment, simply allowing your thoughts to flow onto the page. You can also incorporate gratitude journaling by writing down three things you're grateful for each day. I have found journaling to be extremely helpful. So much so, that I created a journal that I can use on my iPad in the evening with different prompts. If interested, you can get access to that on my Etsy shop by clicking here. I am also including a free daily-self care reflection download below that I created and use as a quick check in at the end of the day. Feel free to download and add to your iPad, computer, or print.
8. Mindful Observation: Choose an object to observe closely, such as a flower, leaf, or piece of artwork. Spend a few minutes looking at the object mindfully, noticing its colors, shapes, textures, and details. Allow yourself to fully immerse in the experience of observing the object without judgment or interpretation. For me, this has turned into a huge birdwatching hobby. I sit on my deck with just my morning coffee and watch the birds. I’ve noticed huge improvements in my mental health and productivity after doing this.
Is there anything else that helps you practice mindfulness? Anything else you want to know about, or more resources you want access to? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
