Let “Be Mindful; Be Happy” The Mantra for This Year

With the new year marking new beginnings, a common practice followed by many is to adhere to a new mantra in their lives. While many of you might have finalized your resolutions for this year others might be struggling to find one. Well, to help you with the same, we would recommend you make this your 2024 mantra-

“Be Mindful; Be happy”

In recent years, the concept of mindfulness practice has gained a lot of recognition. This practice not only guarantees happiness but offers other health benefits as well. But, before you make it a mantra of your life, let us understand this practice.

What is Mindfulness?

“Wherever you are there”- Jim Elliot

Ideally, mindfulness is the art of being in the “here and now.”  In other words, it allows us to be aware of the present moment rather than dwelling in the past or swinging in the future.

Being mindful of your surroundings allows you to:

• Observe the life as it is happening rather than just looking at it.
• Accept the current situation without judging it.
• Involve in healthy practices of compassion and forgiveness.

What are the Benefits of Mindfulness?

The practice of mindfulness has a wide variety of benefits to offer. Some of them are:

Am I Mindful?

To check whether you are mindful or not here are three basic questions that you can ask yourself and find the answer:

You are living a moment, but are you aware of it?

While you are indulged in any activity is your mind-full of N number of thoughts or you are mindful (aware of your surroundings)?

Am I accepting the situations as they are coming or being judgemental about them?

If you score 0-1: Start practicing mindfulness now!!!

If you score 1-2: Nurture your mindfulness to avail more benefits of this practice!

If you score 2-3: Learn to maintain your mindfulness.

Can I Practice Mindfulness on Daily Basis?

Well, the answer is a big YES. One can practice mindfulness on daily basis while being indulged in day-to-day tasks. Curious, how? Here are some DIY ways that you can incorporate in your life:

1. Being Mindful While Waiting

Fact Check- On average a human spends almost 5 hours a month in a waiting queue. So that means 5 hours of practice can be done while waiting.

W: Watch– What’s actually happening around you

A: Accept– The information available to you without judging it

I: Investigate– Focus on your thought process and how you are interpreting/making a story out of it

T: Tend– Have compassion for self and others

2. Being Mindful While Walking

Fact Check: Japanese follow practice for healthy life known as forest-bathing, wherein individual practice mindfulness while walking through forests

S: Steps– Start by counting your steps from1-10 and then start again

T: Tunes- Mother nature is always playing some melodious tune, focus on it

E: Environment– Observe the environment-related information as they come

P: Physical Sensations– Attend and register your physical sensations as you walk

3. Being Mindful While Bathing

Fact Check: Researches support that, taking a bath can aid in relieving depression and anxiety as much as any physical exercise would.

B: Breath– As the water drops on your body or you dip yourself in a bathtub, focus on how you inhale and exhale

A: Attend– The little information like the bubbles on your body or soap sliding through it

T: Temperature Change– Sense and attend to the change in your body temperature

H: Don’t Hold– Welcome the thoughts as they come but don’t hold them. Let them flow like water, without influencing you

4. Being Mindful When Eating

Fact Check: Eating with intention while paying attention helps you feel more satisfied and escalates the body metabolism.

E: Eating Purpose– Identify the purpose behind eating food, it can vary from food-to-food and person-to-person. Just ask “Why am I eating”

A: Acknowledge– Each bite that you eat in terms of its texture, size, flavors, etc., without being judgemental

T: Time– Give enough time to each bite rather than rushing on it

Now that you know how you can incorporate mindfulness in your daily tasks and pave way for happiness, it’s time to work on the same and enjoy these benefits.

“Mindfulness isn’t difficult. We just need to remember to do it.”

~Sharon Saltzberg

May this mantra help you achieve your life goals and make you happier and stronger.

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