Mindfulness

Why.
Mindfulness is a state of awareness.  Mindfulness is paying attention to your experiences moment-to-moment and being fully present. 

When we are present and mindful, we can bring awareness to the choices we make including how we eat, our strengths and weaknesses, satisfaction level, purpose in life, and the health of the community and nature around us.    

Mindfulness leads to better choices.  When we pause, take a moment to be mindful, we can interrupt a habit or pattern that may not be the best choice for us.  We can choose better on our path to wellness and good health through cultivating mindfulness. 

What to do.
To cultivate mindfulness try a one of these tips:

• Find a quiet space and pay attention to your breathing;
  
  
• Go outside and listen only to the sounds of nature around you;
  
  
• Before you go to sleep take some mindful breaths where you only concentrate on the flow of air in and out.  If your mind wanders to the concerns of the day, gently bring your awareness back to your breath;
  
  
• Let a daily ritual, such as putting on make-up or answering the phone, become a trigger to pull your awareness back “into the moment”;
  
  
• Create rituals of comfort, such as before bed bathing, putting on lotion, lighting a candle, as a way to center your mind and let you cares of the day pass away;
  
  
• Turn life “irritants” into a mindful moment and choose to not let you mind wander into “what if”; and
  
  
• Learn to meditate.
  
  
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