Introduction to Mindfulness

5 Mindful Practices To Start Your Day

The benefits of mindfulness are plentiful, including improved focus, concentration, reduced stress and inner peace. One approach to boosting your mindful techniques is to incorporate them into the start of your day.

A simple mindfulness meditation helps you start your day right. Sit in a comfortable quiet place and just breathe. Pay attention to your breath. As you mind wanders gently bring it back to your breath. Do this for about 5 to 8 minutes each morning.

Another morning mindfulness activity is do some light planning. What will your mindset be throughout the day?

Don’t get bogged down by details, but instead set your intention for the day. Your intention can be something vague but should be something positive, like today I will pay attention to each moment or today, I will focus entirely on the present moment.

Do a bit of inspirational reading to jump-start your day. Use the language of the material to momentarily challenge your thoughts, assumptions, and ideas about your values and lifestyle. Allow the reading to boost your spirits and to draw you into and inspire your day.

While eating breakfast, focus on how each bite tastes as it enters your mouth and continues down your throat. Be mindful throughout an entire meal, focusing directly on the taste, smell and texture of each bite, and enjoying all the components of your meal.

One of the most mindful things you could do each day is journaling. Writing down your thoughts and ideas in a journal is an excellent way to identify, explore and examine your innermost thoughts. This process can draw you into the here and now driving you to acknowledge your feelings and develop an awareness for what it is you need to be happy.