I never knew how much the word ‘mindfulness’ was a trigger for so many in the healing community until my friend and founder of Healing Minds PH, Gisa Paredes, pointed it out. And I find that hilarious, given that the term has grown tremendously over the past decade, with Instagram blowing up with the hashtags #mindfulness #mindfulliving and #mindfulormindfull. So what exactly is mindfulness?
Like with what Gisa mentioned, it means different things to different people. For some, it’s more about living in a meditative state, one that is like Buddha, thoughtful and calm. Others see it as being more present, not judging others, and living in the now. Others still see it as doing something in moderation, i.e. not eating too much lechon and being self-conscious of your cholesterol. Whatever the definition, it is clear that mindfulness is an ideology that needs to be put into action, in a way that is practical.
“So how do you apply mindfulness to everyday life?” you might ask. Answer these 6 simple questions, and you’ll see how making small shits in your life by being mindful can bring about big, positive changes:
What’s on your bathroom shelf?
Take a look at your bathroom shelf and take out what you use on a daily basis. Toothpaste, facial wash, deodorant, toner, moisturizer, shaving cream, serum, maybe. Do you know what their ingredients are? Do you know where they come from or how they were made? It’s so easy to shop going by brand recognition or the appeal of the label, but so many of the sprays, makeup, gels, lotions, and other formulas we slather onto our bodies on a regular basis may actually be doing more long-term harm than short-term good.
Toxins and chemicals are a big part of the problem – from parabens to phthalates and aluminum, the chemicals used in a number of common health products are leeching into our bodies and wreaking havoc. Know what is in your shampoo. Find out what your shower gel and shaving cream are made out of – do they have harmful chemicals? I personally love my Lush and The Body Shop products, and am looking to switch to an organic activated charcoal toothpaste in lieu of fluoride heavy options in grocery stores.
Where does your food come from?
I got the opportunity to with with the owners of Holy Carabao, Hindy Tantoco and Melanie Teng-Go, for a year, learning about permaculture, organic farming, and how long it takes to get everything from milk to suckling pigs, from the farm to your table. Seeing how much effort they put into making sure what they feed their family and their customers are as fresh and void of harmful chemicals as possible, got me started on being more mindful about my food and where it comes from.
Are you eating processed food laden with additives and preservatives – your usual takeaways or things that come in a tin? Or are you nourishing your body with nutritious meals that fuel your body instead of bogging it down? Are you buying organic or local? Do yo know if the food you eat have been treated with pesticides?
I got my green thumb from my father, and like planting things and watching them grow, and usually have a planter of basil peeking out of my window sill ready to be made into pesto, or tomatoes growing on the vine that can be eaten as is or turned into sauce or chutney. My green chilies, once ready to be picked, get pickled to be paired with fried food like chicken or fish (with rice, naturally). Take note of what you are putting into your body. This will make you more in-tuned with your habits and patterns, and help you make better decisions when it comes to how you fuel and energize your body.
What does your body need?
Exercise should be a vital part of your day, even if only for 20 minutes, but for some people (myself included), it really is an effort to get in an hour at the gym when you have a million things to get done in a day. Exercise not only has a number of well-known physical benefits, it can also enhance your mental and emotional state. But being mindful doesn’t mean pushing yourself to go all-out on the treadmill, or pressuring yourself to go on a 50 mile bike ride – it means paying attention to your body and asking yourself what you really need.
What I’ve found to be a great form of exercise that doesn’t really feel like exercise is taking my dogs for a walk. I have a high energy husky and a mutt, both medium-sized dogs who need to be taken out at least twice a day lest they wreck havoc in my little studio space. Going out for a run or brisk walk, even for just 20 minutes or so, gives all three of us a good workout and a dose of happy hormones. When I’m feeling like a good stretch, I roll out my yoga mat. And then there are some days where I just want to let off steam with a really intense boxing session.
Being mindful isn’t about forcing yourself to work out every day. It’s about taking note of how your body feels and giving it what it needs. Make it a point to assess your physical state every morning. Not only will you become more in tune with your needs, you will be able to take care of yourself in an entirely new way.
How do you feed your mind?
What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Do you say a little prayer, take in the sunlight, meditate… or reach for your phone? What do you do before you go to bed? Do you think of what you are grateful for for the day, make a mental checklist of how to make tomorrow better… or reach for your phone?
Social media has become a very prevalent part of modern life. It has not only become our way with keeping up and communicating with family and friends across the globe, but it has also become our way of disseminating and receiving news updates, which usually entails a feed chock full of depressing stories of death, destruction, devastation, and in the Philippines, corruption. Not the information we want to be exposed to first thing in the morning or before we go to sleep at night.
Instead of consuming your mind with depressing data, take a proactive approach to what you allow in. Instead of whiling hours away online watching videos of cats (nothing wrong with that in moderation), feed your mind with podcasts, audibles, e-books, and online classes and you’ll be all the more better for it, and hold your own at dinner conversations. Every opportunity you have, whether it’s in the car on the way to work, or unplugging 30 minutes before sleep, opt to feed your mind with something that empowers, educates and enlightens. You will be amazed at what a difference it can make in the long run.
Are you being compassionate with yourself?
We are our own worst critics.
I used to hate looking in the mirror. My waistline wasn’t what it used to be 10 years ago, I look tired, and I don’t feel confident in those pair of jeans because people can see my thunder thighs. There is enough negativity out in the world, we don’t have to bring more on ourselves with our own negative self talk – beating ourselves up for not having accomplished enough or not performing as well as we believe we should have.
Remember, we disempower ourselves when we look down upon ourselves. Take note of what you say to yourself when you look in the mirror. Take a moment to reflect on how hard you are on yourself. And when you find yourself becoming your own worst enemy, stop, and make the mental shift. Immediately change your words, thoughts and patterns into something positive and empowering. By finding a new direction that is more productive, you will find new opportunities for growth.
Take care of yourself.
Is it love or ego?
Throughout the day, be mindful of where your thoughts, feelings, words and actions are coming from. Ask yourself, is this coming from my ego? That is, my need to be special, better and unique? Or is it coming from a place of love? If it is coming from a place of love, then this is your authentic self.
Is it love, or is it ego? This question can be applied for everything from why you want to pursue a certain goal, to how you react when somebody does something you don’t agree with. If it’s ego, whose ego is it? 99% of the thoughts in our head aren’t even ours – they’ve been put there by society, our parents, teachers, our culture, etc. Either way, being mindful of whether what you are thinking, feeling, saying, and acting is part of your authentic self or not, this will help you shed the layers that mask who you really are, and help you understand yourself on a more intimate level.