“If your mind carries a heavy burden of past, you will experience more of the same. The past perpetuates itself through lack of presence. The quality of your consciousness at this moment is what shapes the future.” – Eckhart Tolle

Overwhelmed; Spread too thin; Stressed; Stuck in the past; Worried about the future; Distracted; Disconnected. These are the feelings with which I and many of my clients struggle. As we seek more happiness, some of us have noticed that mindfulness has become the new buzzword. But in our current society, it is hard to fathom that we could be conscious of this moment and lessen the frantic multi-tasking, social media obsession and TV “binge watching”.

According to the American Psychological Association, among a mindfulness practice’s theorized benefits are self-control, objectivity, enhanced (emotional) flexibility, equanimity, improved concentration and mental clarity, emotional intelligence and the ability to relate to others and one’s self with kindness, acceptance and compassion. It defines the state of mindfulness as a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment.

All we have is today. There is no guarantee that we will be here tomorrow. So it is our responsibility to live these precious hours as fully as we can. Attempting to be more aware of our experience in this current moment doesn’t have to be difficult. We are not required to sit in silent meditation in an uncomfortable position all day in order to be more present and less critical of ourselves. We can use our creativity and find different ways to be mindful.

Try driving without the radio on or focusing on all of your senses when you are chopping vegetables for dinner. What does it feel like to eat lunch without looking at your phone, computer, or a book? While having a conversation with someone, keep eye contact with them for at least five minutes. Spend a few moments outside to listen to the birds and watch the clouds pass by. Try yoga, a martial arts class, or a hiking club. Take ten minutes to make up a bedtime story with your child, instead of watching a movie. We may need to experiment to find what works for us.

Brainstorm with a friend or a Life Coach to come up with more ways to be non-judgmental and aware of this moment, just as it is. We will usually find that a small effort can have a large impact over time. Let’s start our mindfulness practice today so we can have the fulfilling and content life that we truly deserve!