“Life is a dance. Mindfulness is witnessing that dance.” – Amit Ray

There is something about a rainy day that makes me really slow down, think about my life, and enjoy whatever it is I’m doing. It brings seemingly mundane and automatic tasks that I do in my life to the forefront of my mind and suddenly, I’m reminded to be present. 

We are all at fault for this sometimes. It just happens. And that’s the most troubling part of it all—we live our lives on autopilot and we don’t even recognize it. 

And I’m not writing about this to be negative, I’m writing about it because it is something that is extraordinarily important to me and to share with others that, hey, sometimes we need to wake up! Life is happening! Right in front of us! Isn’t that amazing?! 

Sometimes we take it for granted and that is something we are really trying to work on by being more present in the moment, taking life one day at a time, and realizing that we are here, and to not only be alive—but to LIVE! 

I don’t know if you all can relate, but there are days where I will glance at the clock and it’ll be 5pm and I’m like, “It’s 5pm already?! How? What have I even done today?! Was I even awake today?” When you know good and well that you were very much alive and doing something that day, but you failed to be present in the moment the entire day, and it passed you by. 

That feeling sucks. 

And to an extent, it is normal to zone out from here and there as it allows us to have a brief mental break and allows our mind to chill, rest, and recharge for a bit.

“So how do I become more mindful?”

I am still trying to figure that out, but here are a few things that have helped us be more mindful and present throughout the day:

1. Mindful Journaling:

I know you’re rolling your eyes thinking, “Anna, come on, I don’t have the time to sit and journal!” And hey, I get that! But that’s the whole point of this whole mindfulness exercise: allowing yourself, at least, 5 minutes a day to do something that grounds and centers you to be more present throughout the day. Journaling is so special because it is just a time for you and your thoughts, experiences, and ideas to flourish. You can write whatever you want and it is a place for you to recap what you’ve experienced throughout the day, the week, what you ate 4 months that you loved, something you’re upset or frustrated with—genuinely whatever you want to talk about, you can! It’s up to you. Journaling allows you to be more aware of your thoughts and what is happening in your life. Just as talking through things is beneficial, so is writing them out!

2. Eating Mindfully:

Go ahead, laugh! But this is one of my favorite mindfulness practices. I mean, think about it, how many times have you eaten an entire meal and realized you didn’t even taste your food?! This is a really unique practice because it allows you to slow down and notice things about yourself and your body you might not have caught before. If you slow down, savor each bite or each sip of your drink, and pay attention to the scents, flavors, and textures as you eat your food—you’d be amazed how much more of an enjoyable experience it can be! The experience of eating, even if it’s a cheap and fun fast-food meal, can be a euphoric experience! 

3. Mindful Gratitude: 

Practicing gratitude for the people and things in your life is a life changing experience. If you take a moment or two everyday to reflect on areas of your life that you’re grateful for, it will certainly shift your negative thoughts to positive thoughts. It will create the greatest sense of appreciation in your present. We all have so much to be grateful for! 

Life moves pretty fast and we need to make sure we are there to experience and enjoy all of it!