I believe the ultimate purpose of mindfulness is to learn to relate differently to all aspects of your life. We cannot change our reactions (to people, work stressors, traffic; pretty much everything) without first developing awareness of our thoughts and feelings. I also believe that it’s way, way easier to develop awareness of everyday life stuff and get into that habit before we start tacking the less-awesome stuff, like difficult relationships, non-stop worry-brain, emotional pain, and crappy self-esteem.
So, to practice mindfulness informally, one must simply be aware of what’s happening right now, to just be present.
For one week, pick something that you do routinely (and likely with little attention) and try to be mindful while doing it. Some examples include hygiene activities such as brushing your teeth, taking a shower, or shaving, or chores like doing the dishes or vacuuming.
Tune in with your senses and see what’s going on with them in the moment and as the moments change. Get curious. What is happening smell-/taste-/touch-/sight-/sound-wise? For example, if you’re brushing your teeth, how do the bristles feel on your teeth and gums? What about the taste, texture, and temperature of the toothpaste or water? What sounds do you notice from brushing? If you are washing dishes, pay attention to the size, shape, texture, and weight of each dish or utensil as you wash it. How is the temperature of the water and the look and feel of the suds? What sounds do you hear, from the dishwashing or elsewhere in the kitchen?
Your mind will undoubtedly wander, even as you choose to be mindful of your task. When you notice that it has, simply acknowledge it and bring your attention back to what’s going on in the present moment. To keep me focused, sometimes I say (usually to myself), “this is what I’m doing,” or when I realize my mind has wandered and I return my awareness, I say, “I’m back!” Sometimes I picture myself entering through a front door like I belong on some 80’s sitcom, and say, “I’m back!” with some excited hand gesture or jazz hands and then I think about who else might be on my sitcom and what we’re about to get up to.
And then I realize I’m not present, and here we go again.
