Being Mindful

What does being mindful mean? Being mindful is just being aware; being mindful means being actively involved in what's going on in the moment. It is a critical skill to address your day-to-day life. When someone talks about being mindful, often, they're talking about children. They're referring to mindfulness being the ability to pause and observe thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations without judging them.

When children are in their emotions, it can be hard to remain nonjudgmental. Children are so much more active than adults and have such a strong need to communicate with their parents and caregivers. A parent or caregiver who doesn't recognize that they're allowing emotions to take over the moment-to-moment basis will be sending the child the message that they are negative and will not be understood. Being mindful can take place in all kinds of situations. Being mindful allows you to respond to your environment in a way that enhances your experience rather than hurting your experience.

Being aware is the ability to stop and look at the things around you, both in the moment and in your daily life, on a nonjudgmental basis, and you will discover that you live in a much more balanced way. You will also find that you have a lot more control over your emotions and feelings, making you in control of your life and the world around you. And finally, being mindful is just paying attention.