We hear mindfulness a lot in this day and age but our main question is…What really is mindfulness? And how can we incorporate it into our busy schedules and lives?

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully and completely in the moment. Seems impossible, huh? Well, we at Integrative Therapy and Coaching (the best therapists in CT!) are here to shed some light and insight on that!

Mindfulness is celebrated in the world of mental health specifically because in order to make a change in one’s thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, there has to be a conscious, intentional, and purposeful awareness at the moment when change is needed. In this sense, how can we change something when we aren’t aware we are doing it in the first place? If we are on autopilot and not quite sure how, when, and where our thoughts and actions occur, it is difficult to shift unhelpful patterns.

Thus, mindfulness helps people avoid destructive or automatic habits and responses by learning to observe their thoughts, emotions, and other present-moment experiences without judging or reacting to them.

One type of mindfulness practice is meditation. While meditation is a type of mindfulness practice, it is just one of the many ways that mindfulness can be integrated into daily life. While we would all love to have the time, the environment, the noise control, and the space to meditate, these conditions can be tricky to come by in the hustle and bustle that is life.

There are no rules to mindfulness and it is accessible really anywhere. We don’t need any fancy tools or manicured areas. We need ourselves and a tiny commitment to being in the moment. Here are some unconventional ways to practice mindfulness:

• On your next walk, take 1-2 minutes to look around you. Pause and acknowledge all the different colors and textures you come across. Try and find as many as you can and then carry on.
• Next time you’re listening to your favorite song, take a few moments to focus on the lyrics. You may come across some parts of the song you were singing differently, or even out of tune!
• Next time you’re in the shower, pay attention to the temperature of the water. Focus just on how hot or cold it is. The same goes for using a scented shampoo, conditioner or body wash- focus on the scent. Even if it is for a few moments, you’ve checked mindfulness of your list for the day.
• We can practice mindfulness even before we hop out of bed in the morning! Right before you get up, take a big stretch and even let out yawn. At that moment that stretch is all that matters… Give it your all!
• Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner… A home for mindfulness. It is easy for us to eat with excitement but try and chew your food with intention- slow, slow bites! You may even get a few laughs out because it will feel a tad bit awkward or uncomfortable at first but will slowly turn into a more mindful eating habit.

Our practice, Integrative Therapy and Coaching, is known for our adolescent counseling services, integrative psychotherapy and emotion regulation therapy.

We see the value in mindfulness when providing services such as family counseling in CT and Psychotherapy in CT. If you would like to learn more about Mindfulness and DBT in CT and the resources and network we share, contact us at 203-587-7956 or book your FREE consultation.