Yeap, I'm going to talk about
mindfulness. I know, I know, this topic has already lost all its popularity
years ago. Nonetheless, I believe it is something that should be included
in my blog. So, what exactly is this mindfulness idea? ‘Mindfulness
is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what
we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.’ *
I think I've heard of mindfulness a
couple of years ago. However, I had no idea what that meant. And I wasn't into
meditation or anything, until recently. A few months ago, I've been introduced
to this concept again, in a proper way. I've also been told that I should practice
it every day. It was a genuine
battle; I'm not going to lie. At first, I hated it so much. Because I can't
seem to concentrate on the moment. It was incredibly difficult to stay present.
Then I realized I'd never been in the
present before. I'm either mourning over the past or worrying about the future.
And yet, I'm living in the now. At this very moment, I'm breathing, seeing, and
hearing things but not paying attention to them. If you really think about it,
this realization is insane! Why are we never in the present even though it is the
only thing that makes sense?
There are several practices to help
you focus on being present which you could easily find on the internet. I
usually concentrate on my breathing or the noises around me. Of course, keeping
your focus on this is still tricky. You can easily find yourself thinking about what are you
gonna eat tonight. But if this happens, when this happens, you're gently bringing your attention back. It's a bit funny when you first
hear it but you're getting used to the language, I promise.
I still cannot say I am able to stay in the
present all the time. I am pretty sure I'm barely present. However, I
made it a part of my daily routine and now practice it every day. There are plenty
of guided mindfulness meditations on YouTube and Spotify. Even if it still
doesn't help me stay present all of the time, it does help me manage my stress.
I started to notice stuff in my everyday life as well. Moreover, it helped me
to understand that most of my unhappiness is either from the past or the future.
I get upset about the present moment too, obviously. But it's mostly worrying
about things that either already have happened or may or may not happen in the
future. This was sort of an enlightening moment for me. And now I'm trying to
teach myself that, it's okay to be upset about stuff that is happening in the
current moment. But I am not allowed to be upset about what happened yesterday
or what will happen tomorrow. Because A, it's not going to help in the long
run, at all. B, it's not even real. Yesterday had passed. Tomorrow is yet ahead
of us. But all we have is ‘now’. So why be concerned about something you can't change,
or don't know whether or not you're gonna face?
Of course, I would be lying if I say
it's working perfectly on me. But practice makes it perfect. Apart from that,
I'm not even looking for perfection right now. I'm more than happy just trying
to remember the idea of this. And I know one day I’ll get there. Or at least I
will become closer, anyway.
*https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/
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