This is a busy time of year. Things to do, people to see, places to go. With the holidays and lots of end-of-year activities, our days and weeks have become more full than they usually are.

Yes, this is a busy time of year, and, every day is a good day to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is “the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment—and accepting it without judgment.”

Mindfulness is often thought of as meditation and has roots in Buddhism. HelpGuide.org and their collaborators at Harvard Health Publications share with us some of the health benefits of mindfulness. Through mindfulness, we may be “less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self-esteem, and are better able to form deep connections with others.”

Scientists are finding that mindfulness can:

• help relieve stress
• treat heart disease
• lower blood pressure
• reduce chronic pain
• improve sleep
• alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties

And psychotherapists are finding that mindfulness can help support treatment of:

• depression
• substance abuse
• eating disorders
• couples’ conflicts
• anxiety disorders
• obsessive-compulsive disorder

Ok – so now we know that mindfulness is a helpful practice. How do we do mindfulness?

HelpGuide.org shares lots of tips and ideas. Here are two of those tips – a quick introduction to mindfulness meditation and learning to stay present.

Practicing mindfulness meditation

1. Sit on a straight-backed chair or cross-legged on the floor.
2. Focus on an aspect of your breathing, such as the sensations of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth, or your belly rising and falling as you inhale and exhale.
3. Once you’ve narrowed your concentration in this way, begin to widen your focus. Become aware of sounds, sensations, and your ideas.
4. Embrace and consider each thought or sensation without judging it good or bad. If your mind starts to race, return your focus to your breathing. Then expand your awareness again.

Learning to stay in the present

A less formal approach to mindfulness can also help you to stay in the present and fully participate in your life. You can choose any task or moment to practice informal mindfulness, whether you are eating, showering, walking, touching a partner, or playing with a child or grandchild. Attending to these points will help:

• Start by bringing your attention to the sensations in your body
• Breathe in through your nose, allowing the air downward into your lower belly. Let your abdomen expand fully.
• Now breathe out through your mouth
• Notice the sensations of each inhalation and exhalation
• Proceed with the task at hand slowly and with full deliberation
• Engage your senses fully. Notice each sight, touch, and sound so that you savor every sensation.

When you notice that your mind has wandered from the task at hand, gently bring your attention back to the sensations of the moment.

I’m curious. What would happen if we each practiced one of these activities every day – or even every other day or once a week? What difference could this make in our daily lives? How would we act differently? How would others see us differently?

I invite you to give one of these practices a try – or find a different activity that works for you. If there’s a different practice that works for you, please share it with us!

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.