Being mindful has never been more important. The country has never felt more divided and contentious.  Sometimes you simply need to be in the moment and escape from the minutiae of life.  Mindfulness is a valuable skill in these hectic times. The following guidelines will help you in your quest to achieve mindfulness.

Be present

It is not easy being present.  The world is full of distractions: smart phones, tablets, T.V., smart watches, etc. Not to mention all the different things that run through our heads. To be present, you need to filter out those outside distractions and focus on what is in front of you. Being present is something I struggled with in the past and continue to have difficulty with now. I would spend time with my kids but my mind would be elsewhere, often on my IPAD or on my phone. If you are not present you are not getting the most out of your experience. Have you ever been out to eat and everyone at the table next to you is on their phone? Those people are not enjoying each other; they are losing out on a social experience. I try hard to be present with my kids now. I want to enjoy them. People notice when you are not present. Do you want to spend time with someone who appears to want to be somewhere else?

Get in touch with your senses

Ever heard the saying, “stop and smell the roses”. Part of being mindful is being in tune with how your senses interact with your environment. For example, when you are walking down the street ask yourself what you are hearing, smelling, seeing, etc. Focus on what your senses are perceiving in the situation. There is a common misconception that you need to be in a quiet environment in order to be mindful. The truth is, you can be mindful no matter you are doing.  It would be nice to practice mindfulness while hiking through a quiet forest, but most of us do not have that luxury on an every day basis.

Appreciate your situation

Part of being mindful is having the proper appreciation for your situation. This could be either positive or negative. You may have gotten yourself in a bad situation because you did not properly appreciate the consequences of your actions. On the flip side, spending the afternoon with your family can be a very meaningful experience if you value its importance. Reflect on what is important to you and how you can change your life to reach that goal.

Refrain from judgement

Being non-judgmental is a difficult task. We are trained to have opinions about everybody, including ourselves. The media and people in our life barrage us with opinions daily.  This takes practice. Remember, a thought is just a thought. We are the ones that attach meaning to it. Being mindful is not an invitation to bash ourselves or others. We are attempting to accept our thoughts as they are without assigning them judgement. Let your thoughts wash over you; don’t let them distract you from being in the moment.

There is a lot of hate in our world, which makes mindfulness more essential than it has ever been before.  Mindfulness helps us live in the moment, appreciate what is important, and accept our thoughts without judgement.  We are healthier people if we are mindful.