How to Thrive not just Survive: Mental Fitness Through Mindfulness and Meditation Practices

When the concept of mindfulness is brought up, people might conjure an image of someone meditating in a criss-cross sitting position atop a scenic, solitary hill at sunrise. That is a peaceful image, but not many of us are able to recreate that particular scene. However, mindfulness practices are more accessible than you might think (And that includes their benefits as well). A few mindfulness moments a day can lead to lasting positive change on your mental health: improved mood, relaxation, and the ability to bounce back from strong emotions. By drawing focus to the little happenings all around us, we widen our perspective and make space for the full range of joyful experiences that might be hiding just under our noses. We can get there by practicing acceptance and peace with what is, without judgment. 

Mindfulness is the act of present moment awareness. It can be readily accessed by focusing on the sensations you’re noticing from one or two of the five senses wholeheartedly. Sounds simple? Let’s try it! Take a moment to close your eyes and just listen to what’s around you. Allow thoughts about the past or future to visit briefly, and then float away as you continue your observation. Untether from unrelated thoughts and let yourself merely notice. Describe the sounds you are noticing in this brief moment. What do you hear? Maybe there was a clock ticking, cars rolling past, crickets chirping, or distant conversations. Would you have known these were happening if you didn’t have the opportunity to stop and listen? 

There are two styles of mindfulness that you can engage in: formal and informal. Formal mindfulness involves structured activities, like guided meditations or yoga, during dedicated times. These activities often use scripts to guide sensory observation and breathwork, offering a helpful framework for beginners. Informal mindfulness, on the other hand, integrates mindfulness into everyday tasks, making it more flexible but ideally suited for less busy moments where there aren’t many competing sensory experiences occurring at once. For instance, walking past a downtown construction zone during rush hour traffic in the rain is not a conducive setting for practicing mindfulness.

How do we know mindfulness works? Scientific research demonstrates that both informal and formal mindfulness practices can lead to improvements in various psychological and physical functions. Mindfulness strengthens the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, a brain area crucial for emotional regulation and adaptive decision-making. Studies have shown that consistent mindfulness practice can result in significantly reduced perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, along with increased life satisfaction. Moreover, individuals may notice a greater ability to calm down from strong emotions and regain rational thought more quickly. It's important to remember that mindfulness isn't about eliminating emotions, but rather about changing our relationship with them, enabling us to make choices aligned with our values and goals. While both formal and informal mindfulness enhance cognitive flexibility and problem-solving skills, the frequency of informal mindfulness directly impacts psychological flexibility. Interestingly, research suggests that the primary responsibility for improvement lies with the individual, as hands-on instruction only slightly increased the benefits compared to daily consistent independent  practice.

There are a wealth of opportunities, both big and small, in our everyday lives that we can integrate mindfulness into. To best illustrate how informal mindfulness can be integrated into one’s typical day, please take a look at the following list of example situations with accompanying prompts. Try applying informal mindfulness into an activity or two during your own routine, if they speak to you. 

Informal mindfulness: a morning of possibilities 

• Waking up 

  • Notice how the sheets and blankets feel on your skin as you stretch yourself awake. Observe the weight of your head on the pillow or the pace of your breath.

• Hygiene routine 

  • Mindfully notice the wealth of sensory experiences that accompany your washing ritual.

  • What sensations or smells can you notice when washing your face or putting on lotion? 

  • Noticing what it feels like to unfurl your hair or run a comb through your scalp. ○ Observing the scent of the toothpaste and even the sensation of running the toothbrush over your teeth. 

• Breakfast 

  • Take in all of the visuals, scents, and tastes of the foods and drinks you consume. How many different textures can you notice throughout the meal? How does the satiation feeling register for you in your body? 

• Dressing 

  • Observe the clothing colors that you pick out and their patterns- are they interesting to your eyes? 

  • What is it like to move your limbs into the clothing and what can you notice about the fabric and the warmth the clothes bring you? 

  • Notice how you stand in your shoes, what posture do you naturally rest in now?

• Miscellaneous 

  • If you take a technology-free brief walk through your surroundings or outside, what things can you notice with just your 5 senses? Try not to rely on prior knowledge; you may know that candle smells like vanilla, but you can experience the vanilla smell fully right now. 

  • Notice how the water pours out of its container into the soil of your plants, or how the water mist coats the leaves. 

  • Take in the physical experience of your pet’s fur, scales, or feathers on your hands when you greet them with a pet. 

  • Observe the unique sensation that sun rays have on your skin as you bask in the morning sun. 

Implementing mindfulness practices into your daily routine may come with some challenges, but those bumps allow us to correct course so that we can make the necessary adjustments that best fit our unique selves. It is advantageous to establish manageable expectations in the beginning, perhaps allowing yourself one 5 minute mindfulness activity a day for the first week. Perform mental, emotional, or physical check-ins with yourself to get into the rhythm of present-moment awareness with your entire being. 

If you find it challenging to engage in mindfulness during any activity, it is helpful to determine one or two grounding activities that allow you to first center in on the present moment. It can be anything that is very easy for you to bring your attention to. This can look like breathing exercises, accessing a strong (but not unpleasant) smell, holding something cold or warm, or performing a whole-body check-in. Additionally, using reminder items, times, or places to cue self to engage in mindfulness practices. 

Keep in mind that improvements in emotion regulation and cognitive flexibility will take time to appear. That is the nature of the brain, after all! Please, give yourself grace

during this process and allow space to learn from yourself: how did you honestly respond to one mindfulness activity compared to another and what aspects felt like a good fit? Accessing support at any point in your mindfulness journey is reasonable. Whether it's through establishing a mindfulness buddy system, joining a mindfulness interest group, contacting a mindfulness mentor, or participating in ‘refresher’ courses, all are valid forms to strengthen your confidence in your mindfulness practices. 

So, let’s embrace the power of mindfulness, cultivate your inner calm, and unlock a life of greater peace, clarity, and joy – one mindful moment at a time.

Note the information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and not a substitute for professional medical advice.