Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
I have been reading a lot recently about mindfulness lately and as we approach the end of another hectic year, there is something about mindfulness that really appeals to me and it is something that I would like to incorporate into my daily routine in the new year.
The idea behind mindfulness is a simple one. Take a small amount of time each day, find a quiet place where you can sit undisturbed and feel relaxed and comfortable, breathe deeply and slowly and really take time to focus on your life at that moment, how you are feeling, what is happening. Moments of mindfulness should not be an effort. It is a time to turn off devices and really focus on yourself and at the end, it is a good time to look forward and make plans with a completely clear head.
Being a person who loves to spill my thoughts out onto a page, I particularly like the idea of writing for mindfulness. Writing is and will always be my therapy and my mindfulness plan is to take my few minutes each day and sit with a notebook and pen and write down my thoughts and feelings. It could be time to just write whatever comes into my head. Maybe a time to write lists of things that I need to do. A daily diary entry can be a nice way to reflect on your day. Over on their blog, Pen Heaven have a post all about Writing for Mindfulness with some ideas to get started and whether you are looking for a journal, diary or notebook to get started, there is a fabulous selection to choose from.
