Mindfulness exists in many ways

I started looking for ways to practice mindfulness back in 2020. I was blessed to work for a company that was concerned with our mental health, and they gifted all of us access to the Headspace app.

Driven by the demands of pandemic to keep sane, I signed up and found out very quickly that quiet (guided or not) meditation is not for me. I managed to incorporate some short breathing exercises and pauses throughout the day which carried me for a few months until the Botanical Gardens in front of my house opened back up.

With most of the city shut down I used what I knew worked in the past. I love dancing, always have, now I know it′s because I find mindfulness in that. So, I danced the lock down days away, doing virtual Zumba on my porch in the mornings.

When the gardens opened, things improved significantly. I was able to go take early morning walks and found active meditation. I explored some of the guided mindful walks and it wasn′t long until I was able to find mindfulness in walking.

When we entered year two of pandemic, we decided to move away from the city, as life was slow to recover in Brazil. In 2022 we took a road trip to the mountains close to home. Last time I had gone hiking I was a child, and on this trip, we hiked the most wild and beautiful waterfall and mountain trails of my life. The path was difficult to cross, with rocks and mud and rivers and trees, so my entire focus of body and mind was required to get me through. I found mindfulness in the most unexpected way, hiking! Who knew?

No secret I find mindfulness in traveling. It is the most rewarding thing I can do. In January of 2023 we took the trip of a lifetime, and I wrote about how I completely disconnected from work so I would be sure to be present. This trip was life changing.

Since then, I hadn′t really been able to find anything new that was able to open headspace for me until I stumbled on mandala dot painting. If you have never heard of this before, I encourage you to look it up. I watched a couple of tutorials online, got some basic tools and started playing with it. ?I have been painting mandalas on wood discs for a few weeks now and I am mind blown by how quickly I progressed and how beautiful they are coming out. I didn′t know I was capable of that. (See article picture, painted by me). I know they are not perfect, but I am ok with that. They don′t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

I found mindfulness in art. This activity takes me to a deeply meditative state. Why? I challenge you to pick a pen or a pencil and try to make a dot on a paper while you inhale. It′s hard. Now try exhaling. Fits right? What happens is, dotting demands you control and coordinate your breathing as you are painting. Because it requires so much focus, being present is not optional. If your mind drifts, you will mess it up.

I write this article for those out there like me, who find it difficult to quiet their minds. Those of us who find traditional meditation challenging and difficult to sustain. The most important part of this journey to mindfulness has been consistency and practice. Don′t give up seeking ways.

Today I try to practice all these things, as much as I can. I regularly exercise and paint, I travel and hike as much as I can, and I continue searching for new ways.

Practicing being present must be done with intent but it doesn′t have to look the same for everyone. Start paying attention to the things you do and notice those that keep you in the moment. Those things that make you put your phone down and just be. Maybe there are things that interest you, but you haven’t tried. Ask yourself, when was the last time you were brave enough to suck at something new?

As you find them, incorporate them into your life, you may be amazed at the things you can do and didn’t know.