by Cindra Banks (aka Holistic Health Honey)
MINDFULNESS is one of the biggest buzz words and trending topics right now.
You might have heard Mel chat about this on her podcast in episode fourteen (or the million other people who have been talking about it for the past few years) and been wondering what all the fuss is about.
And I don't think it's so much about mindfulness. I think it's more about our current state of being.
Let's look at myself, right now. I have 2 other windows on my computer open, as well as my phone beside me...My partner is giving me the hurry up, my flatmate is watching TV loudly in her room and I can hear the oven ticking away in the background.
Do you see where I am headed with this?
We are beyond busy.
We have become so consumed with everything outside of our bodies - Social media, the news, TV, the internet, looking right, eating right, buying a house, having kids, consuming the latest trends...
Losing sight of what really matters. Ourselves!
How many times do you pick up your phone a day? Check your inbox or social media accounts? Look outside yourself for validation?
I have noticed for myself, this is TOO MUCH.
We are trained from an early age to seek validation outside of our true selves. You get commended for an A in an exam, for winning a sporting event, for securing a job, for getting a promotion, for buying a house.
Too little or perhaps never do we hear, hey, you are an amazing person. Well done! Or, you are such an incredible listener.
That busy-ness comes from a desire to achieve, achieve, achieve until we are noticed, appraised and then have to go again to seek the next hit.
Self worth comes from ourselves. To drop the busy-ness and be able to get validation in your own mind, you need to practice being MINDFUL.
It doesn't mean sitting for hours a day in meditation (although go for it, if that's your thing).
It means, being aware of your thoughts. Being attentive to negative thought patterns. Bringing yourself back if you can feel your mind running away from you.
It means, noticing your breath. Are you breathing just into your chest or is the breath coming from the belly? Chest breathing is shallow breathing, and shallow breathing goes hand in hand with stress, anxiety, raised cortisol levels and poor bodily functions.
Taking a moment out of your day (perhaps one to two minutes) to notice your thoughts and to become aware of your breath is all it takes, especially to begin with.
The more aware you are of yourself, your thoughts and your breath, the more connected you are with your true self, the easier it is to start changing your habits to more healthy ones.
But it all starts with you and it all starts with being MINDFUL.
Mel and I have developed a program just for you, if you are sick and tired of being busy, stressed, anxious and unfocused. If you are ready to make a change. If you are willing to break old, negative habits and begin new, inspiring, life changing rituals.
The Mindful Blueprint is here.
And it will change the way you live your life. Not for the faint-hearted.