Mindfulness Tricks

Recharge your soul. Keep your mind in the present. Your future is uncharted territory and your past is no longer in your control. Enjoy the moment in front of you. Check in with what’s happening in your body. Practice moving slowly. Focus on you. Get into the flow. Follow your bliss.


These are things that I try to remind myself daily. But it’s weird, right? Sitting down, really still, closing your eyes for some sort of meditation practice. Getting to know yourself on a personal level (do I need sleep, why does this muscle hurt, am I still carrying anger with me from what happened three days or 3 years ago?). I think one of the reasons I started practicing mindfulness was because of how uncomfortable it made me. How vulnerable and soft I felt. How hard it was for me. Yet, the more I engaged with the practice of mindfulness, I quickly began to realize that this is something that takes years to form a discipline with. There is no mastering. There is only reaching a state of well-being that is dripped in the present moment, and coated with the immersive acceptance of what is now. It’s all up to what you make of it.

So, how can YOU engage with mindfulness? How can you implement it in your everyday life (especially if you are a student or employee, or generally just extremely busy?). There are many ways you can be intuitive, even while doing simple small things.

Before we begin, you may be wondering…..why even bother? Good question. There are many benefits to practicing mindfulness and meditation. It helps decrease emotional reactivity and increases cognitive focus. There’s a promotion of self-awareness and self-compassion. You gain a sense of understanding and observing what you feel and why, without judgment. There are also lots of studies that dive into physical incentives that may arise like better sleep and easing chronic pain.

Here are some steps I have compiled that may come in handy if you want to try:

  • Observe your breathing. Whether before class or once you wake up, try and pay attention to the natural, rhythmic pattern that happens within the body. The goal is to get outside of your mind and into your body. Free yourself from your thoughts (notice them, but don't let them trap you) and remember this saying by Eckhart Tolle, “a single breathe in and out is a meditation.”

  • Follow your bliss. I say this often, but what I mean is that you should spend some time each day getting lost in the things you love, whether it’s 30 minutes or 3 hours. This could look different depending on who you are, but the key is to focus on the task in front of you and give your uninterrupted energy and creativity. So go paint, go run, go play that instrument, or bake that cake. And do it with intention.

  • Meditate (Baby Steps!). This doesn’t have to be difficult. Try 1, 5, or 10 minute increments to start or guided practices such as the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Get still, and say aloud: 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste. You can even try finding videos on Youtube or the Calm app to help guide you as well.

  • Intuitive Eating. When you eat, eat. Turn off the phone, be present with friends, and close that textbook. Know the flavor of your food, be aware of the texture, and your chewing. Practicing this is also great because you are aware of when you are full or still hungry.

  • Be present. When you are walking outside on your way to class or work, take the earbuds out of your ear and pay attention to your surroundings. Thich Nhat Hanh says “walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.”

    There are so many resources that can help you along this journey as well but here are some I can personally get behind as they have helped me on my journey:

Let me know how your mindfulness journey is going!

“Your Body is your first home. Breathing in, I arrive in my body. Breathing out, I am home.”- Thich Nhat Hanh”
Act It Outelina morrisonComment