We aren’t going to approach this from a professional perspective, but rather from a layman’s point of view so that every reader can resonate with this at some level and take away something positive.

The term we’ve all been hearing and reading about these days, mindfulness, can be defined as full attention. 🧠

We must, of course, separate the wheat from the chaff because this is a trendy concept with a significant deviation from the original concept of mindfulness in psychotherapy or Buddhism.

This term describes a mental state in which we self-regulate all our attention to focus it on the present moment, from a place of openness, curiosity, and tolerance.

This attitude concerns all things that may manifest in our conscious minds, or in our field of attention, and which we should accept exactly as they are:

• Emotions
• Sensations
• Thoughts
• Memories
• Feelings

Through learning and training, often based on meditation techniques and breathing exercises, we move toward a broader awareness of our mental processes and, consequently, our actions.

• Treat yourself the same way you treat your loved ones—accept yourself as you are and don’t be judgmental.
• In a hectic world it’s hard to slow down and notice the little things—hit the brakes and pay attention.
• Try to deliberately pay attention and be receptive to everything you are experiencing—free yourself from the past and the future and live in the present.
• Meditate and concentrate on your breathing—connect with your inner self.

The Basics

Contrary to what you may think, mindfulness doesn’t mean a completely clear mind at all hours of the day, every day of the week—you’re not meant to achieve an ascetic state. You’re not a monk! ☯️
.
Anyone can practice mindfulness at any time and to whatever extent.

Let’s try it out! 🧘‍♀️‍♀️

1. Choose the time

Try to find time during your day/week to devote a few minutes to practicing mindfulness—whether it’s in the morning when you wake up, during your lunch break, or before bed. Try to do it regularly, so that it becomes a habit. Consistency helps make it come to you naturally.

2. Choose the location

Find a quiet spot in your home or in your office, or even in a park or out in the countryside. You can be sitting, lying down, or even walking—as long as you feel comfortable.

3. Focus on your breathing

There are many techniques and exercises, but we aren’t experts, and our article only aims to inform you about the concept—so we suggest a basic exercise that anyone can try, that consists of focusing all your attention on the sensations of breathing.

Feel the breath as it goes in and out, counting each time you inhale and each time you exhale.

4. Manage distractions

Distractions are inevitable, unless you’re a hermit. You can simply focus your attention on the sensations of breathing and try to detach yourself from your surroundings. Breathing can function as an anchor.

Even if you are a hermit, your own mind will distract you—your mind will inevitably start to wander at some point. This is natural, so don’t beat yourself up. Whenever you get distracted, just try to identify it, and return to your point of reference—your anchor.

5. Return to the present

We are human beings, and we live in a world of constant motion, so of course we can’t always have a clear mind. The practice of mindfulness is about noticing the distractions and returning to your anchor, the present moment, as gently as possible.

Why do breathing techniques work?

Mindfulness is not a science, but scientifically speaking, counting breaths increases activity in the hippocampus, which is the area of our brain where memory-related processes take place.

Counting breaths also improves the connection between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex.

There is evidence that performing a pattern of breaths calms the nervous system, which handles the body’s involuntary functions.

Controlled, deliberate breathing can lead to beneficial physiological changes such as decreased blood pressure and heart rate, and reduced levels of stress hormones in the blood.

Mindfulness doesn’t involve dedicating time to long meditation sessions every day. You don’t even have to set aside an hour a day from your chaotic schedule. In fact, you don’t even have to set aside half an hour a day! Not even 15 minutes…⏰

The wonderful thing about all this is that it only takes as little as 2 to 5 minutes a day of focused breathing to make a tangible difference in your mood, so that you feel centered and your batteries are recharged for the rest of the day.

To wrap things up, consistency is key! 🗝️

To reap the rewards of mindfulness, it’s essential to practice it regularly—every day (or so). The more consistent the practice, the more benefits you will reap.

To start exploring this practice, check out the infographic we created for you with 5 basic mindfulness tips:

If you liked this article, check out our blog because you’re sure to find a few more articles of interest: https://verbarium-boutique.com/blog/

If you came to our blog originally looking for our professional translation services, or our professional copywriting services, or the professional transcreation services we offer, you’ve come to the right place—click here: https://verbarium-boutique.com/services/

📚 Suggested reading:

Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World, by Mark Williams

We aren’t going to approach this from a professional perspective, but rather from a layman’s point of view so that every reader can resonate with this at some level and take away something positive.

The term we’ve all been hearing and reading about these days, mindfulness, can be defined as full attention. 🧠

We must, of course, separate the wheat from the chaff because this is a trendy concept with a significant deviation from the original concept of mindfulness in psychotherapy or Buddhism.

This term describes a mental state in which we self-regulate all our attention to focus it on the present moment, from a place of openness, curiosity, and tolerance.

This attitude concerns all things that may manifest in our conscious minds, or in our field of attention, and which we should accept exactly as they are:

• Emotions
• Sensations
• Thoughts
• Memories
• Feelings

Through learning and training, often based on meditation techniques and breathing exercises, we move toward a broader awareness of our mental processes and, consequently, our actions.

• Treat yourself the same way you treat your loved ones—accept yourself as you are and don’t be judgmental.
• In a hectic world it’s hard to slow down and notice the little things—hit the brakes and pay attention.
• Try to deliberately pay attention and be receptive to everything you are experiencing—free yourself from the past and the future and live in the present.
• Meditate and concentrate on your breathing—connect with your inner self.

The Basics

Contrary to what you may think, mindfulness doesn’t mean a completely clear mind at all hours of the day, every day of the week—you’re not meant to achieve an ascetic state. You’re not a monk! ☯️
.
Anyone can practice mindfulness at any time and to whatever extent.

Let’s try it out! 🧘‍♀️‍♀️

1. Choose the time

Try to find time during your day/week to devote a few minutes to practicing mindfulness—whether it’s in the morning when you wake up, during your lunch break, or before bed. Try to do it regularly, so that it becomes a habit. Consistency helps make it come to you naturally.

2. Choose the location

Find a quiet spot in your home or in your office, or even in a park or out in the countryside. You can be sitting, lying down, or even walking—as long as you feel comfortable.

3. Focus on your breathing

There are many techniques and exercises, but we aren’t experts, and our article only aims to inform you about the concept—so we suggest a basic exercise that anyone can try, that consists of focusing all your attention on the sensations of breathing.

Feel the breath as it goes in and out, counting each time you inhale and each time you exhale.

4. Manage distractions

Distractions are inevitable, unless you’re a hermit. You can simply focus your attention on the sensations of breathing and try to detach yourself from your surroundings. Breathing can function as an anchor.

Even if you are a hermit, your own mind will distract you—your mind will inevitably start to wander at some point. This is natural, so don’t beat yourself up. Whenever you get distracted, just try to identify it, and return to your point of reference—your anchor.

5. Return to the present

We are human beings, and we live in a world of constant motion, so of course we can’t always have a clear mind. The practice of mindfulness is about noticing the distractions and returning to your anchor, the present moment, as gently as possible.

Why do breathing techniques work?

Mindfulness is not a science, but scientifically speaking, counting breaths increases activity in the hippocampus, which is the area of our brain where memory-related processes take place.

Counting breaths also improves the connection between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex.

There is evidence that performing a pattern of breaths calms the nervous system, which handles the body’s involuntary functions.

Controlled, deliberate breathing can lead to beneficial physiological changes such as decreased blood pressure and heart rate, and reduced levels of stress hormones in the blood.

Mindfulness doesn’t involve dedicating time to long meditation sessions every day. You don’t even have to set aside an hour a day from your chaotic schedule. In fact, you don’t even have to set aside half an hour a day! Not even 15 minutes…⏰

The wonderful thing about all this is that it only takes as little as 2 to 5 minutes a day of focused breathing to make a tangible difference in your mood, so that you feel centered and your batteries are recharged for the rest of the day.

To wrap things up, consistency is key! 🗝️

To reap the rewards of mindfulness, it’s essential to practice it regularly—every day (or so). The more consistent the practice, the more benefits you will reap.

To start exploring this practice, check out the infographic we created for you with 5 basic mindfulness tips:

If you liked this article, check out our blog because you’re sure to find a few more articles of interest: https://verbarium-boutique.com/blog/

If you came to our blog originally looking for our professional translation services, or our professional copywriting services, or the professional transcreation services we offer, you’ve come to the right place—click here: https://verbarium-boutique.com/services/

📚 Suggested reading:

Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World, by Mark Williams