Practicing mindfulness techniques (sitting meditation, body awareness meditation or mindful movement) enables you to decrease stress, anxiety and depression, as well as your experience of pain or discomfort; whether it be physical, mental or emotional. However, a deeper purpose of this practice is to help you lead a better life—to have richer and more meaningful experiences. You can do this only by paying attention to whatever you’re experiencing in any given moment. In this way, you become more mindful in everyday life.
One way to develop this is by tuning into the sensations in your body as you go about your everyday activities. For instance, what do you notice in your body when you: walk from one spot to another; wash dishes; take a shower; brush your teeth; prepare a meal; get dressed; bathe or eat?
See if you can become more aware of all your five senses: TOUCH, SMELL, TASTE, HEARING and VISION. What do you experience in your body? What’s your posture like? What do you notice that you’ve never noticed before—in this moment? Texture, temperature, vibration, position, fragrances, sounds, shapes and colors. Everything is new. Everything is fresh. Every moment is a new moment. All this will enable you to feel more grounded in your body, more centered, more whole, more connected and more alive.