Keeping It Simple

While the practice of Mindfulness is simple - It is not necessarily easy. As with most anything else, it is possible to get better at it. But better doesn't mean skilful - it means you feel better about it. 

As we continue to practise, there is a greater familiarity with it. You become more comfortable. As you start, you know where you're at and what you are about to do. Familiarity. Familiarity helps to overcome procrastination and the shoulds-coulds-woulds – the expectations we may have. Familiarity helps to overcome the initial need to perfect it or not make mistakes.

Keeping mindfulness simple is most important when you’re starting out, so try this – STOP.

Stop

Take a breath

Observe

Proceed

STOP is a simple structure for initiating your practice. STOP can take 30 seconds or 30 minutes. You could use it to start your practice, or it can be your practice.

Whatever you are doing -

Stop

Take a deep, slow, mindful breath (or ten)

Observe or notice what it feels like. Get especially into the feeling in the body - it gets you out of your head

Proceed with your day. Notice any change now compared to how you were feeling when you started

Familiarity comes from doing mindfulness a number of times. So to become familiar, you need to do it. The boundaries are set by no-one but yourself. Make a commitment. For example, five minutes per day for the next week. Then do another week. Notice the difference following Mindfulness.

The more and more familiar you become with it, the more you can slot it into your day – waiting for your coffee, sitting before a meeting, held up at a red light, the last thing you do before you lay your head down at night or the first thing you do after you wake.

No one would know.

If you're going to take 5, make it a present5