#2 Practice Mindfulness- The state of becoming accepting, aware and less reactive to what is happening around you.

This means we are creating space for ourselves, to think, to breathe and to make space between our thoughts and actions.

How to Practice Mindfulness

1 Take a seat. Find a place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.

2 Set a time limit. If you’re just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as 5 or 10 minutes.

3 Notice your body. You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, you can sit loosely cross-legged, in lotus posture, you can kneel—all are fine. Just make sure you are stable and in a position you can stay in for a while.

4 Feel your breath. Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes out and as it goes in.

5 Notice when your mind has wandered. Inevitably, your attention will leave the sensations of the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing this—in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes—simply return your attention to the breath.

6 Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself or obsess over the content of the thoughts you find yourself lost in. Just come back.

This takes great focus and will increase in effectiveness and length if you remain consistent.

Currently, I use this tactic daily as the world is already chaotic enough without my 1,000,000 thoughts a minute. Before mindfulness, I experienced chronic anxiety, stress, and generally felt overwhelmed by life. Mindfulness has helped me refocus in any moment, on that current moment without judgement. Naturally, we analyze and judge every situation, even if it is solely pertaining to ourselves. Therefore, the most important piece of that is WITHOUT JUDGEMENT. It taught and is still teaching me to appreciate the small moments as they happen. A simple action concentration has saved me from many situations.

Being mindful is equivalent to “rolling with the punches in life” and being non-reactive to situations that may occur.

I literally used to be a firecracker, snapping at every situation, frustrated, and upset with the way of the world. Honestly, I was heading down the path of destruction with no end in near. What I remember most about those moments is how people fed off of my lack of self-control and often became excited at the sight of my impulsive behaviors. Through faith and self-concern , I found my peace in being ok with not bring ok. That is reacting internally opposed to externally.

I am inviting you on this Mindfulness journey as I am 5 YEARS STRONG!

So to you, congratulations on your new mindfulness journey.