7 Mindful Habits To Take Up In 2016
Tis the season for New Years resolutions, and no matter what your promise to yourself, you can achieve your goals by adopting some easy and simple habits into your everyday life. We’ve come up with seven specific daily rituals that will help you to see your resolutions through, no matter what they are, and much much more!
Adopt Mindful Eating.
Too often, we will eat as a crutch. We could be depressed, bored, stressed, etc.Food is our fuel for the day, so it is as important to be mindful of why you are feeding your body as to what you are putting into it.
Start paying attention to your eating habits. Try to eat only when you are hungry, and be in touch with what you are eating. A well performing body and mind will need high quality food!
Take Some Time For Yourself.
Taking time out for ourselves is critically important in life. This is time where you do things that you love for the sole intention of your own pleasure. It could be taking a bath, watching a movie, exercising, reading, or going out with friends. Whatever it is you live for, take time to do it. In this busy world, we often forget to nurture the most important thing in it…you!Move Around Every Day.
It can be hard to adopt an exercise routine. Maybe this is actually your resolution this year. If it’s hard for you to find time to move around in a way that promotes your better general health, start small.Exercising isn’t necessarily running for miles or hitting the gym hard. It can be pleasurable activities that don’t feel like ‘exercise’ such as hiking or yoga.
Most importantly, know your limits. If all you can start with is 15 minutes of walking or yoga (to use our own examples), then go for it! If you do it regularly, soon you will be putting more time into it, and better yet, you’ll begin to really look forward to this time.
Adopt Mindful Listening.
Picture this: you are having a conversation with someone, and while they are speaking, you are doing…what?Thinking about what you’re going to say next? If you answered this way, it may be time to adopt a practice of mindful listening. You will be astounded at what you learn when you really, truly start listening instead of waiting until it’s your turn to speak.
You can change your life simply by paying purposeful attention to what is being said and by whom. You will definitely learn more, and your relationships will take on a depth you didn’t think possible.
Get Some Healthy Sleep.
‘Sleep is overrated.’ ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead.’ These are some of the common excuses we use to counteract the pain we feel when we lack sleep. It’s important to note that everyone is different, so adopting healthy sleep means something different to everyone.However, the average person needs 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep a night for optimum health. The average American, however, gets a little less than 7 hours of sleep per night.
If you’re tired and ineffective feeling almost every day, it’s safe to say that you probably need to be getting more sleep than you do. Once you get proper amounts of sleep, you will find that you are more energetic, clear-headed, and the most productive ‘you’ that you can be!
Breathe!
The most effective way to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress, and change your outlook altogether, is to take some time to breathe. The best thing about this habit is that it can be done anywhere and anytime, and can be as short or long as you wish.When you get to a point in life that you can’t handle, take some time. You can afford a minute of time even if you’re busy, so no excuses! Take a deep breath in and release slowly. Repeat as many times as needed to change your mind.
Be Mindful In your Everyday Life.
Being mindful is simply the act of being intentional and doing all things with purpose. Since we spend a lot of our time simply going through the motions, mindful living takes on some importance.To start living mindfully right now, try this experiment: Take 30 seconds and really look around. Observe all you can about your surroundings and take note of the little things you commonly miss or deem unimportant.
Most importantly, be in the present without allowing your mind to go on auto-pilot. Repeat this practice several times a day, whenever you feel that you are just going through the motions.
Practicing mindfulness can improve physical and mental health. Start these practices today, and in a year, see how your life has improved!
Thanks to: http://thespiritscience.net