Four Fall Mindfulness Tips

Mindfulness is all about finding opportunities to not just live in the moment but to live in your mind. It can be easy to confuse mindfulness with wellness, though – while wellness is all about your overall wellbeing, mindfulness is about one specific aspect – taking the time to think and act deliberately, and examining your own thoughts and actions to help you take control over your emotions, yourself, and of course your own wellness. Here are five ways you can get outside of yourself to better allow you to look deep within.

Take a Photo Walk

There was a period of time when walking through nature or your neighborhood and taking pictures of things you found interesting could be a very specific type of Zen. You’d have to bring your roll or rolls of film to get developed, and you’d have to live with a few (or several) less-than-ideal photos. Nowadays, you have the opportunity to really think about how nature and your surroundings make you feel, and get the perfect shot of it.

Mindful Breaks

Whether you’re working or spending time at home or both, taking breaks from your daily routine is critical to self-care. Since that is certainly a necessity, why not try to approach your breaks intent on mindfulness? This can be meditation, or even writing down some of your feelings – simple journaling can do a lot for increasing your self-awareness. Whatever you do, make sure it actually serves the function of a break and gives you a little respite from your day.

Express Yourself

Art is a fantastic way to practice mindfulness while also expressing yourself. Even if you don’t look at yourself as an artist, you can certainly doodle, paint, sculpt, or practice crafts and get something out of it. Working with your hands to create something can be very relaxing. It also forces you to not just think of new ideas and how to make them a reality, but will often give you the opportunity to think about your own choices and see how if you can mold or sketch something on your desk or table, you have the ability to mold how you think and function throughout life.

Forest Bathing

Leave your devices behind and find a place in the woods to simply be. Staying in touch with nature by taking it in through as many of the senses as possible is a way to contemplate your relationship to the earth, and its relationship to you. From the sound of crunching leaves to the smell of fresh air, forest bathing is a perfect way to find yourself.

Summary

Finding your way to mindfulness is your own personal journey. It is an ongoing effort, as well, because the more you practice it, the easier it becomes. Learning to listen to yourself is important, too – if you’re not enjoying the mindfulness activity, listen to that part of you to figure out why. If it doesn’t allow you the opportunity to act with intent, or distracts you, maybe it isn’t the right option for you.