Mindfulness 101: Cultivating an elegant mind
Hello and welcome to Gorgeous Life Blog. If you are new here, my name is Victoria and this is my favorite little corner of the web where I talk about modern elegance and personal growth for women. Today I’m going to be talking about something that has had a huge impact on me lately. Welcome to The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Mindfulness. I want to help you to learn how to cultivate an elegant mind.
My journey with Mindfulness
For the past year or so, mindfulness has been everywhere around me, and I chose to ignore it. I saw it on Pinterest, mindfulness books at the bookstore, and articles online. I have a problem where I choose to ignore things that are right in front of me, only to discover that it was something I needed in my life all along.
Last year, I did take a peek at a mindfulness article to see what it was all about. All I got out of that article was that you should focus on breathing and I wasn’t too interested. This is what kept me from diving deeper into mindfulness.
Last month, I read an incredible book that I highly recommend called The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of your life. In the book, there was a brief mention about mindfulness and living in the present moment. I loved it so much that after finishing that book, I read a mindfulness book and my mind was completely blown.
All I could think when I finished reading these books was that these things should be taught at home when children are young. All of a sudden I felt like I was using my brain the way it was supposed to be used. I also thought about how I had been misusing it all these years.
Have I really been thinking the wrong way? Did I really not know how to think until now? *Questions I was asking myself.*
Nobody teaches you how to think. It just happens. But when you are given the right information on how to use your mind in a powerful, beautiful way, your mind becomes this magical place.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness
a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique
-Dictionary.com
Did you know that most of the time when we are thinking, we are thinking about the past or the future? We spend the least amount of time thinking about the present moment. What I was unaware of though, is that *gasp* the past and the future don’t exist.
Think about it. What happened yesterday is over and done with, you will never be able to go back and re-live yesterday, all that is left is the memories you have. As for the future, it definitely doesn’t exist because it hasn’t happened yet.
The only time that truly matters is right now. Click To TweetThe importance of an elegant mind
Many people believe that elegance is about the way you dress when you go out, sprinkled with a little bit of good etiquette. What I have learned over the years is that elegance is much deeper than that. Anyone can put on a beautiful dress and look nice, but true elegance comes from within. I dive deeper into topics just like this in my elegance course.
One of the first things I discovered when I started my level up journey was how much power my thoughts have over my life. Essentially, your mind creates your reality and whatever you focus on you will attract.
If you have a toxic/unhealthy mindset, it will be extremely difficult to find elegance and true happiness because your mind is stuck in a negative state.
Creating an elegant mind will take you to new levels in your life. It gives you an overwhelming sense of peace, happiness, and makes you feel like you are living life on a different level from other people. The minute you learn how to use your mind as a tool to create a better life for yourself, your life will immediately begin to change, and you will see the world in a completely different light.
Here are 3 ways you can start living in the moment.
Once I discovered the absolute magic of mindfulness and living in the present moment, I decided to give it a try. The problem is that it can be difficult when you are trying it for the first time. This is because the mind naturally wonder, and it’s hard to calm our thoughts. After trying it a couple of times and getting frustrated, I decided to do some research on how to actually clear my head and live in the moment.
1. Use your senses.
The other day I was at the park with my family for a morning walk. This is a massive park that also has soccer fields and baseball fields. For the first time ever, we happened to be at the park on a busy Saturday morning and every field was filled with athletes of all ages. As we walked on the path, I decided to try my best to live in the moment, and I used my senses to do it.
- See: The sun in my eyes, green grass, soccer teams playing, birds flying, clear blue sky, etc.
- Smell: Fresh air
- Hear: Birds chirping, the light breeze, parents cheering, coaches screaming, the sound of my footsteps on the pavement
By focusing on what I was currently experiencing, it helped me to be completely in the moment. It is also important to note that I left my phone at home during this walk and I had absolutely no distractions.
2. Focus on colors
This one sounds interesting but I have not tried it yet. I think it will be helpful for people who really struggle to clear their thoughts. All you have to do is choose a color that you will focus on for the day. Whenever you notice that color, it will trigger you to be in that moment, recognizing that specific color.
When you see an object that is the color you chose, take the time to focus on it. Look at all the details. Size, shape, color, texture, distance from you. Observe it like you have never seen it before.
3. Mindfulness while eating
This is one of my favorites because I absolutely love to eat. You don’t have to begin practicing when you eat, you can start when you are cooking. For example, when I cook one of my favorite dishes, my mindfulness session starts the minute I pull out all the ingredients.
- Smelling the garlic and onion
- The sounds and smells when I am chopping and mincing them
- The sound of the food sizzling when I am cooking it
- The smell in the house when it is simmering
- The way it looks when I put it on the plate.
- The steam rolling from the food when it piping hot
Once your food is cooked and you are about to eat, take a minute to observe your food. The color, shape, and texture of the amazing dish you’ve just created.
When you are eating, do not have any distractions at the table. No phone, no tv. Focus on the taste and texture of the food, how it feels while you are eating. Enjoy every bite slowly, and mindfully.
Your mind is a powerful thing, use it wisely.
I hope you have enjoyed this beginners guide to mindfulness and It would make me the happiest woman in the world if your life was impacted by this in some way. I cannot describe to you how my thoughts have shifted since I started practicing mindfulness in my daily life.
