Last week we discussed the benefits of creating and sustaining a mindfulness practice in order to increase our awareness and connection to who we are and what we are experiencing. When we bring mindful attention to how we interact with the environments around us, we are able to make increasingly beneficial and healthier choices from a place of power and self-knowledge. With ongoing practice, we can experience more ease, more peace, and less stress.

But mindfulness is not just about sitting in a room by ourselves while focusing on the breath… it is about being in and interacting with the world from a calmer and more centered place. And if you can’t make the time for a daily 15 or 20-minute seated practice, there are many ways to integrate these principles into the midst of your everyday.

A walking mindfulness practice is an easy way to get present to the moment. Consider slowing down your pace and bringing attention to the act of walking… Where are you going? How does your body feel? What is happening around you? Observe as you lift your foot, move it forward, and place it on the ground. Observe again as you step forward with the other foot. Feel every movement of each leg… step by step by step… simply become mindful of walking. 

Once you are familiar with this walking practice, you can cultivate further awareness by adding attention to the breath. For example, you can inhale over three steps and exhale over three steps. Play with it. See what works for you. In this way, you become mindful of each step you take and how you are breathing. Buddhist monk and renowned spiritual teacher, Thich Naht Hahn, tells us to walk as if we are kissing the earth and planting peace with each step. He calls us to become gentler… softer… more mindful of why, where, and how we are in this very moment.

Another useful mindfulness practice is to create a ritual out of very ordinary and "everyday” actions. For example, washing your hands. Each time you wash your hands today, become present to what you are doing. Be aware of turning on the water. Feel the warmth or coolness of the water on your skin. Watch and experience the lather of the soap as you clean your hands. Again, feel the water wash over your skin to remove the soap. Be mindful to intentionally turn off the faucet and then watch and feel as you dry your hands. 

Washing one’s hands can become a ritual of cleansing, of starting over, of recommitting to being mindful with the day. It can be a quiet moment to release worry, concerns, or anxiety. 

Take a few moments to write how you feel after these practices.

Remember: the more you practice, the more you see the benefits, and the easier it becomes to stay present in the moment. Like anything else, it is a process… just take it step by step.

Billy Rosa is a Registered Nurse, Integrative Nurse Coach