Mindfulness is a meditative practice where your goal is to become fully aware of your current state – where you are, what you are experiencing, and how you are feeling, both physically and emotionally. Every day, people use mindfulness as a means of reducing stress, managing anxiety, and preventing negative thoughts from taking hold.
The great thing about mindfulness is that anyone can do it. No special training required! Stay with us and we’ll show you how you can start practicing mindfulness on your own or with help from your smartphone or tablet.
Reducing Stress with Mindfulness
Mindfulness is actually a very simple concept. Here’s what you’ll need to do to start reducing stress:
- Give yourself time and space: These are the only two things you need to practice mindfulness. If you’re like most people, your time is probably limited. That’s OK! Even just five minutes will do. When it comes to your space, try to find an area free of excessive clutter
- Focus your attention on the present moment: This is the core of mindfulness. Think about what’s going on around you. What do you hear, see, smell? How are you feeling today? Let questions like these guide your practice.
- Resist temptation to be judgmental: Mindfulness is about being aware of the moment, not judging it. If you find yourself starting to judge your observations, it’s important to let go and shift your attention back to the present moment.
- Keep coming back to the present: It’s natural for your thoughts to wander while practicing mindfulness. When this happens, pause for a moment to recalibrate your thoughts and come back to the present moment.
That’s really all there is to it. Simple, right? In concept this is definitely true, but you’ll probably find that the practice of mindfulness is a bit more challenging than the description lets on. Like anything else, though, you’ll get better the more you try.
Master the Art of Mindfulness with These Top Apps
Need help getting started with mindfulness? You’re in luck because – surprise – there’s an app for that! In fact, there are actually quite a few. We did a little research over at Mindfulness.org and came back with three of their recommendations for great mindfulness apps to provide the stress relief you need.
- Stop, Breathe & Think: iOS/Android – Great for getting acquainted with mindfulness. Recommended for beginners.
- Insight Timer: iOS/Android – Features thousands of guided meditations as well as a timer for keeping track of your mindfulness practice.
- Aura: iOS/Android – Gives a new three-minute meditation to follow every day. Perfect for people who don’t have a lot of time to practice mindfulness.
Need More Space to Practice Mindfulness?
Many of our customers come to us because they simply want pace in their homes. If you’re tired of clutter and feeling overwhelmed, renting a self storage unit is sometimes a great way to reclaim some space without selling or donating items you may want later. Who knows, maybe you’ll have room to designate a special mindfulness area! At StorageMart, we offer storage units in a variety of sizes, so finding the perfect fit for your needs is easy. To get started, find a location near you.