Where do you begin with mindfulness?

Five Micro-steps on the Path to Mindfulness

Mindfulness. Meditation. These are words we’re hearing a lot about in the media lately. Especially with all the increased stress everyone is experiencing. Stepping into mindfulness can be rather daunting for those who are new to the concept. There is so much talk about how to live a mindful life, but what does that really mean? And, more importantly, where do you begin?

Maybe you’ve attended a yoga retreat or had someone come to your office to teach a meditation class. You recognize that after the retreat or experience you feel more at peace and calm. Some would call this feeling ‘being centered’ or ‘grounded.’ But when you return to your normal life, you get sucked right back into the stresses and dramas of what we call living. How do you maintain that sense of calm, centeredness, once you return to the chaos of life?

Not everyone can retreat to an ashram or monastery for a few years to learn the practices and become a mindfulness guru. How do every day people learn the basics and integrate them into their lives? The best way I’ve found is through what I call ‘micro-dosing mindfulness.’ By making tiny changes in your behavior, you can make profound and long-lasting changes that can benefit you, and everyone you interact with.

While I have never visited an ashram or lived in a monastery, I have been practicing mindfulness and meditation for over 30 years. And I’ve learned a few things along the way and have compiled a sample of the top 5 micro-steps to help you get started.

1)?????Downshift to up level – change your morning routine. Instead of reaching for your phone as soon as you open your eyes, allow your awareness to gently awaken with the day.

a.?????Take a few deep breaths and then stretch your entire body

• ????????If you’re lying in bed, stretch out your arms and legs as if you’re reaching for each corner of the bed
• ????????If you’re already standing, then stretch as fully as you can with your arms raised to the sky and your feet shoulder width apart

b.?????Release your breath slowly and feel the energy flow through your body

2)?????Leave your phone off for the first few hours of the morning. Instead of filling your head immediately with all the news the media wants you to consume, make a conscious choice to fill your mind with positivity or creativity.

a.?????Read a few chapters of that book you’ve been meaning to finish.

b.?????Find a quiet place to sit and relax into the morning before you start caffeinating and conversing. This may be your patio, balcony or a special place in your home that is designated as a quiet space. There is something special about that peaceful waking time in the morning when the house is still sleepy and the world outside is just starting to stir. Sit quietly and watch the sunrise or listen to the birds, instead of a constant stream of prime-time headlines and sound bites.

c.??????Start a journaling practice. Write down anything that comes to your mind, whether it’s complete nonsense or a list of things to pick up at the grocery store. Let your mind free flow through pen and paper. I call this my defrag time.

3)?????Breath work is one of the simplest and most overlooked tools in our toolbox. Really paying attention to how we breathe and mindfully following our breath, can create an instant sense of relaxation, clarity and groundedness.

a.?????Following your breath

• ????????Take several deep, long breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth
• ????????Feel the air fill your belly on the in breath and relax on the out breath
• ????????Continue to follow your breath for several cycles

b.?????Box breathing

• ???????Inhale slowly for a count of 4
• ???????Hold for a count of 4
• ???????Exhale slowly for a count of 4
• ???????Repeat the cycle several times

c.??????Either of these techniques can be done at any time, in any situation.

4)?????Micro-meditations can be done in less than five minutes. They can be done while sitting, standing, walking, etc. The only place I wouldn’t recommend them is while you’re driving.

a.?????Start by finding a mantra, or saying, that resonates with you. It could simply be a single word or a 2-3 word phase. Such as ‘marble’ or ‘I am loved.’

b.?????Recognize when you’re feeling stressed or are about to go into a stressful situation.

c.??????Take 2-5 minutes to connect with your breath, close your eyes and repeat the word or phrase in your mind.

d.?????When you’re ready, open your eyes and feel the sense of peace that comes over you.

5)?????Connect with nature – One of the easiest, fastest and, in my opinion, nicest ways to regain your groundedness is to take a break in nature.

a.?????Leave your phone off or at least on silent. Better to just leave it on your desk and go outside where you can be in nature.

• ????????If you’re in an office or apartment, find a nearby park or green space to visit.
• ????????If you’re at home and have a backyard, then just step outside onto your patio and sit in the sun feeling its warmth wash over you.

b.?????Close your eyes and open your other senses

• ????????Listen to the birds in the trees, hear the breeze rustle through the leaves or across the grass
• ????????Feel the wind dancing across your face or arms
• ??????? Are there bees buzzing in nearby flowers?
• ????????Do you hear a distant hum of traffic?
• ????????If possible, remove your shoes and place your bare feet on the ground, preferably in the grass.
• ????????Can you smell any particular scents like flowers, grasses, or your neighbors cooking?
• ????????Sit for a while and just listen to the world around you. It’s amazing what you hear and feel when you start to tune in to nature.

c.??????Try to do this daily even if it’s for only five minutes. Commit to a week and see what happens.

By incorporating one or two of these micro-steps into your daily activities, you will begin to get a sense of what mindfulness is and how it can help you re-center and reconnect with yourself. Try not to overwhelm yourself by doing all of them at once. Pick one that interests you, do that practice for a while. Once that becomes a habit, then select the next one to try. If you try one and it doesn’t work for you, then leave it and try another one.

Give yourself permission to play and experiment. Go easy on yourself if you miss a day or an opportunity to use one of the tools. Pay attention to how you feel before, during and after doing them. Notice how your perceptions change or how you respond to certain situations differently.

By taking micro-steps you can make small incremental changes and integrate mindfulness into your life at a pace that is right for you.

Relax, reconnect, and have fun.