Mindfulness
Content Courtesy of the Forever Young Podcast with Christiana Egi and Cherrie-Marie Chiu.
Have you taken a moment today to be mindful? In this episode of our Forever Young podcast, Christiana Egi and Cherrie Marie Chiu sat down to discuss mindfulness and how to practice being mindful throughout our day-to-day lives. Read on as we discuss how to defuse to infuse mindfulness into our day. You can also listen to the full podcast episode here:
To Christiana, mindfulness means being present, and being present for herself. To be able to close her eyes and get some time to herself allows her to find peace. As soon as Christiana wakes up the first thing she does is pray. That is when her mindfulness starts, as she spends a quiet moment with God to allow him to guide her day. Cherrie starts her morning with mindful moments as well. When she walks her dog, she uses that time to list all the things she is grateful for from the previous day. She also uses that time to think about how she is going to use the day moving forward.
Starting each day with a moment of mindfulness can do wonders to your mindset, and prayer and meditation are one way to start being mindful. Having a grateful heart can allow you to find ways to new blessings. Being grateful for what you have means being appreciative and choosing to not be miserable when bad things may happen. Choosing positivity and laughter can actually do great wonders for our health. Laughter increases your endorphins and strengthens your hormones. If you want to learn more about why laughter is good for our health check out our episode on Laughter.
Mindfulness, by definition, is the basic human ability to be fully present. It is about being aware of where we are, what we're doing, and what we're sensing. It is not about being reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around us but allowing yourself to be present and understand your surroundings without a sense of judgment.
There are many benefits to being mindful. Being mindful is really good for our mental health. Mindfulness can be practiced in more ways than one; some may do yoga, walking, tai chi, dancing, and so much more.
One great benefit of mindfulness is it helps in reducing stress. Take that moment to breathe, to reduce that adrenaline that might be racing through your body which may be what is making you stressed and anxious. When you're stressed out, your body is in that state of fight or flee. This increases your heart rate, blood sugar levels, and breathing - making it harder to live a healthier life.
Being present with friends and family can also help take the stress away from you and help forget about a bad day you had. Being present can help you find something to feel cheerful about or something to laugh about.
We may also practice mindfulness without even knowing it. Being mindful of your own self can help you glue into what you really need whether it be physical or mental needs. Even being hungry is an act of mindfulness to your body telling you it needs nourishment.
Mindfulness can help you become a kinder person. Scheduling break times can also help you be more mindful and present during a busy day. Taking a moment for yourself as an employee, as a parent, and as a caregiver can allow you to take out your frustration and come back a better version of yourself. Even going on a walk, even for 10 minutes can allow you to get your creative juices flowing.
You can also be mindful through writing and journaling. Even if you don't enjoy writing in a journal, try making it a calendar journal where you track your goals each month. Sometimes when you write about things that upset or frustrate you, it can allow you to let go of negative thoughts and emotions you may be holding onto. It can allow you to release negativity and create space for more positivity. Writing can help you feel better and also allow you to be present at the moment.
Another way to be mindful is by carrying out regular activities with a spirit of mindfulness. In the podcast, Christiana and Cherrie talked about mindful dishwashing. It sounds funny, but mindful dishwashing means feeling the water running through your hands, smelling the dish soap has proven to decrease nervousness. Dishwashing involves cleaning and removing dirt off surfaces that can become symbolic within your own life and how you deal with stress. Dishwashing, cleaning, and tidying up can help you become more mindful as you do something without thinking. It can also allow inspiration and get your mind flowing.
There are so many reasons why mindfulness is good for our health. If you are looking to infuse more mindfulness into your life, start by witnessing the start of your day, inhaling your coffee, praying, and reading something inspiring can really help set the tone for your day. Waking up your mind is a great way to become more mindful throughout everyday life. Maybe try writing a list of 3 things you are grateful for, or a list of things you like about yourself! That is a great way to start your day. These are very simple ways to practice mindfulness and add more moments of calmness into your day.
The Forever Young podcast is created and produced by Christiana Egi and Cherrie Marie Chiu. Produced and engineered by Elisse Hill. The podcast represents our opinions and those of our guests. The content should not be taken as medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. Please consult your health care professional for any medical questions. If you like our show, please tell your friends and leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. New episodes are available every other Wednesday. Have questions? Email us at ourforeveryoungpodcast@gmail.com.
