Mindfulness - All you want to know

Mindfulness. The word has made a buzz recently because of ever increasing stress on her lives. The busy days, deadlines, meetings, college exams, school projects, extra-curricular classes and what not. The list is endless. The common factor which unites these things enlisted is none other than time. Time is a greatest equalizer and we cannot hold back even one second out of the 24 hours. So where is the time to include mindfulness? Can it exist in our schedule? How does it fit? Time to think, ponder, internalize and put into action.

That day when my trainer said something which came as a shock to some and surprise to many. The idea of 50 suryanamaskars was standing huge and tall in front of me. It was like a mountain to be conquered. But I thought that as a challenge and accepted it with full might. The day came and we all were looking at each other, smiling, chitter chattering, and giggling among ourselves. Everyone was wondering whether it would be easy or we will leave it right in the middle. But after the warm up, when we started our prayer to commence our task of getting to 50. My mind became one with my body. I brought all my senses together and started to focus on first Suryanamskar. I breathed with every move. And I saw that my body became one with my mind. The heaviness of other 49 got lifted from my shoulders and the thought of one at a time overpowered my senses. I achieved even the 49 suryanamaskars with ease as if I have started the first one. 

The idea of one at a time with all my mind into it excited me. This is what mindfulness is to me. Why should we give so much importance to other 49 if we are starting off with 1? 49 is the mental load that we carry which is helpful enough to increase the stress and build the pressure so don’t bother about it. Think each number as 1 till you get to that number 49. In other words, think each work as this is the one thing which you have to do it now, at this point in time. Put your heart fully into it. Engage yourself in every minute detail of the work. And finish that task efficiently. Slowly you will see the dramatic surge in your productivity and efficiency. Then move on to another task. This will not only get you to finish the task but also you will do it without stress. Anything without stress will always give you satisfaction and that task will be looked at as remarkable achievement.

Mindfulness is nothing but one work at a time minus stress and more of focused thought. This will not only help in your schedule management, work management, and meeting every deadline or striking all the points in your bullet journal but it will help you lead a healthy lifestyle or holistic lifestyle in other words. Your mental health as well as professional health will automatically gain more brownie points.

Mindfulness is the art of embracing the moment and enjoying it wholeheartedly. Our lives are full of tensions and stress which we carry throughout the day and most of the worries are caused by mindlessness. We often forget about pausing the moment, staying in it totally, breathe freely with the task and finish it thoroughly keeping all the minute details into account. By multitasking we just do all the work and take pride in it but often the nitty gritty of the work is left unseen. This is seen in maximum moms be it office going moms or stay at home moms.

Motherhood is beautiful journey but it is surrounded with lot of expectations, responsibilities, judgements, guilt and accountability towards your kids all the time. Being a center point for all these factors often leaves you exhausted, frustrated, vulnerable and further leading to mindlessness. We can try to avoid that by being more alert, more focused and getting things done in our way. Moms are always judged by how they treat or carry themselves. If one is giving some time to their looks or wellness, they are often misjudged as selfish, being more concerned to ones looks or prioritizing self vis a vis the children. This thought is being ingrained in our system and tradition so it takes a village of strongminded women to set it right. So it is not at all bad or wrong to give importance to one’s looks and body as if you look good and feel good, you will be more confident and confidence will help you achieve better, enhance the connection with your babies, improve mood and face each day with a broad smile.

 Also take ‘me time’ often which is the time you give to yourself. It can be 10 minutes of listening to your favorite song, reading books, playing a musical instrument, painting, going for a walk in the garden, socializing with your neighbor or just speaking to your friend. Get your shoes on and walk the path of ‘me time’ every day and see the difference you give to your life. It will only improve the mindfulness and awareness to the everyday situations as they are and your response to it.