These Mindfulness Hacks Will Change the Way You Think About Meditation

By Mary Claire Schibelka, LPC

Over the past decade, the practice of mindfulness has become increasingly popular.  If you follow any mental health social media accounts or podcasts, you’ve likely heard of its benefits, such as anxiety reduction, greater productivity, and even better relationships.  Often, when I suggest to my clients that they practice some form of mindfulness or meditation regularly, I am met with responses like, “I’ve never been good at that.  It’s so hard for me to turn off my thoughts and have a blank mind.”

A blank mind?  I can’t even imagine having a blank mind!  I remember meeting a man from India one time who had been practicing yoga for almost his entire life.  He told me that after 20 years of practicing meditation, he was able to sit with an entirely quiet mind for a maximum of 1 minute.  How, then, can we expect ourselves to do such a thing?

The belief that mindfulness is about silencing your mind is a myth- one that keeps many people from reaping the benefits of a regular practice.  Keep reading to learn how to practice mindfulness in a more relaxing, natural way.

Get Comfortable

Eventually, you will be able to practice mindfulness anywhere, such as at work, when you’re sitting in traffic, or even on a rollercoaster!  Crazy, right!?  Be patient.  This will come with time, but if you’re new to mindfulness, it’s easier to practice in an environment with few distractions.  Find a comfortable spot where you can be alone and unbothered before moving on to the next step.

Start with the Five Senses

Bringing your attention to your thoughts and feelings can seem like a difficult task if you’re not even able to be aware of what’s going on with you physically.  Mindfulness is about noticing things as they are.  Begin by noticing what you see around you, without looking for anything in particular.  Next, notice what you hear, followed by what you smell, taste, and feel on your skin, like the chair underneath you or your clothes on your skin.

Observe Your Inner World

Next, bring your attention to your thoughts.  This is where most people get stuck because they believe something different or special should be going on in their minds while practicing mindfulness.  Not the case!  You may notice that you’re thinking about a conversation you just had or what you’re cooking for dinner tonight.  Do the same with your emotions.  The goal of mindfulness is not to silence your thoughts or feelings, but rather to notice what they do on their own.

Change Your Perspective

Typically, when we think, we are in our thoughts, actively participating in them.  For example, if you notice the thought that you don’t know what you’re having for dinner, you may be tempted to start planning a trip to the grocery store.  Doing this actually takes you out of the present moment.  Try switching to the stance of an observer, watching your thoughts as if they were someone else’s.  Surrender control of them and notice how they come and go on their own.  

If you catch yourself getting hooked by a thought and participating in it rather than observing it, gently bring yourself back to the stance of the observer without self-criticism or judgment.  After all, your brain was just doing what it’s used to doing!

Cling To Nothing, Push Away Nothing

Often, if we come across a thought or emotion we don’t like, we try to change it.  When we like a thought or emotion we are having, we may try to cling to it.  All thoughts and emotions, if left alone, will come and go in their own time, just like waves rolling into and away from a beach.  As you observe your inner experience, allow your thoughts and feelings to linger as long as they’d like.  Notice how long they stick around when you let go of control over them.

Release Judgment

Judgment is a natural part of the human experience.  If mindfulness is hard for you in the beginning, you may notice harsh, self-critical thoughts or uncomfortable emotions like frustration or anxiety.  Treat these thoughts and feelings like all others.  Allow them to pass in their own time, remembering that all of this will get easier the more you do it.

Practice

Mindfulness is not as difficult as many people think, but that doesn’t mean it is necessarily easy.  When you first begin practicing, you may struggle to understand mindfulness concepts, or you may get hooked by your thoughts or distracted easily.  Try starting out by using a mindfulness app, like Headspace, to walk you through meditation as you do it.  Little by little, you’ll start discovering that you’re able to be mindful of your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations throughout the day.  Even before getting to this level, mindfulness is worth practicing because of its ability to reduce anxiety, enhance life enjoyment, and help you get to know yourself better than ever before.