There is lots of information and discussion out there about mindfulness and the impact that learning to be more present and in the moment, has on our health.

This makes such sense when you think of being “ mindful” as the opposite of a style of being we know to be detrimental: ruminating, being critical or judgmental, or being on ‘auto-pilot’.

Our busy demanding lives increase the chances that we all might get lost in our heads from time to time – replaying memories or forecasting forward to ‘what if’s’ that might never be.

The more we can cultivate a habit of becoming still quickly, wherever we are, the better.

How though?

One way to cultivate mindfulness skills is to develop a meditation practice. This tends to be the way that many people expect that mindfulness has to work – long periods of time, still, eyes closed, going “in”. And this is certainly one way to become mindful. You might already have a formal meditation practice like this. If this works for you right now, it will likely be very rewarding.

But what if meditation seems impossible?

However, if a meditative experience is not going to work for you right now, it doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from exploring these ideas too.

Meditation is just one way to be mindful….

In any second you choose to, you can check in with yourself, mindfully, like this:

◽️Start small
◽️Notice what’s happening
◽️Use your breath to anchor you
◽️Notice your body
◽️Notice what you can hear
◽️Smell
◽️Taste
◽️See
◽️Notice what your mind is saying
◽️Notice how you feel


◽️Invite a little gap between your thoughts, feelings and your whole experience


◽️Notice that you keep getting distracted, but know that when that happens, that’s it! That’s mindfulness. In that moment, you are becoming aware of something that you previously weren’t.

It’s called a ‘practice’ because it takes practise.

It can help to think of ways to bring present moment awareness into your everyday activities.

My favourites include “noticing” the bubbles on my skin while washing up, listening hard for the duration of a song, tuning into sensations while having a hot drink, or to taste when eating something, especially something tasty, for extra anchorage 😜

And you know, nothing works for everyone, all the time, so if mindfulness is not your thing atm, something else will be.