The good news is that awareness is a skill you can practice and strengthen over time. This two-minute mindfulness practice can be done wherever you are, so you can break out of autopilot and notice how your mind and body feel throughout the day. Explore this three-step practice for cultivating mindful awareness:
1) Brief body scan
Start off by taking a single, deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. You are welcome to gently close your eyes, or keep them open. Notice your body where it is: the positioning of your body, and also how your body is feeling. If you’re feeling any tension anywhere, see if you can allow that to soften, or adjust your body as needed.
2) Tune in to your environment
Begin to allow your awareness to wander a little bit. Notice the sounds inside your environment or outside your environment. Be aware of how sounds have a nature of disappearing and reappearing, and also how your mind comes up with different comments or images on these sounds, or on your experience. Allow for all of this.
3) Notice thoughts and emotions
Now begin to gently open your eyes, noticing how there’s also visuals in your environment. Notice how you feel. Take stock of how you’re feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally.
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Elaine Smookler December 20, 2022
Daniel Goleman March 30, 2017
