My Journey with Practicing Mindfulness

Mindfulness has been one of my biggest challenges throughout the entirety of my current life. I tend to find myself with a consistent flow of mind-racing thoughts that are a bit difficult to slow down or turn off. Suppose I am not thinking about how I will pay for the next bill; thoughts of the past or potential future raid my mind. With meditation, I would find myself drifting off into a different thought instead of being in the present. What I have found to be helpful, with meditation specifically, is guided meditation. Following the words of the guides that I choose to listen to have allowed me to remain grounded and be in the inherent "now." Currently, my meditation routines include guided meditation, but I am consistently working on programming my mind to be in the present without additional guidance. I want to be able to gain a sense of self-control. I attempt to remain conscious of what event is presently at hand with daily activities. I don't have it all figured out because even in the midst of a project, I think about the next project without finishing the current one. However, I noticed a significant improvement in my attempts to be conscious of mindfulness.

Practicing mindfulness, basically being in the now, can help with stress control. In actuality, we can only deal with things as they come. The future does not exist in the present, so we should only focus on the present. We can only handle one day at a time, so why not focus on the "now" and deal with future events when they come?

I have started doing exercises throughout the day: breath control and redirecting my thoughts. Focusing on my breathing has encouraged me to come back to my present.

I am breathing.

I am alive.

I am here.

I am currently in the present.

I will deal with the future when the future becomes the present.

BE IN THE NOW!