3 Mindfulness Techniques I Use

A lot of the time, I find myself repeatedly going through a mental to-do list in my head. Things may get checked off, but a new item immediately takes it's place. Too often, I realize that I completely missed out on what I was doing in the present because I was focusing on what I need to do in the future. When I notice this happening, I slow down and use some mindfulness techniques so I can savor the present. Below are three mindfulness techniques that I use.

Pay Attention

Paying attention is a mindfulness technique that I use quite often. I do this by really making an effort to notice things that I normally wouldn't. For example, when I was shoveling the snow from the driveway this morning, I paid attention to the way the slush mixed together with the mud that had been left on the cement from when I pulled weeds a couple days before. I noticed the snowflakes drifting down, the birds chirping, and the cat that was sneaking over from across the street into my backyard. Then later during the day when my son, "A," was practicing using the toilet, I read him a book about counting. There were raised dots on the page so I touched each one and counted them with him.

List Things I am Grateful For

When I really want to enjoy a moment to it's fullest, I mentally list off things that I am grateful for. Some of the things often mentioned in my list include having a loving family, being able to raise my son in a safe and healthy environment, being able to work out disagreements with my husband in a healthy way, having everything I need, having people who love and support me when I need it, and being in good health. Listing things that I am grateful for not only keeps me present, but also helps me realize that life is full of good things. I especially find myself using this technique when I am spending time with my husband, "C," and A. Earlier today I was doing this as C and I were teaching A how to play a matching game.

Eat Mindfully

Very often while I am eating, I am trying to multi-task and get other things done. Sometimes I get done with my food and realize that I didn't really take time to notice or enjoy it. When I notice I am rushing through my food and trying to get smaller things checked off my to-do list, I slow down and eat more mindfully. AN example of when I did this today was when I was eating a waffle for breakfast. I paid attention to the way my fork felt as it was cutting through the waffle. As I ate, I only cut out one square at a time. I noticed the way the seeds fell onto the plate from the waffle, the smell of the birthday cake flavor, and the light taste of salt from the pumpkin seeds. Later on, C had popped some popcorn so I noticed the different shapes, the way it crunched when I ate it, and the light taste of butter. Some time after that, A wanted some Ritz crackers as a snack so I ate a few and noticed the layers inside the cracker that were visible after I bit it, the little salt crystals sprinkled on top, and the buttery flavor. I find that eating mindfully is really helpful during those days that seem to be very busy. It gives me a moment to just slow down and relax a little bit.