Mindfulness Exercises To Take Control Over Your Life

Exercises of all kinds are like fuel to our body. Any of their forms takes years of practice to be able to master them. But with a little bit of direction, one can master them. If you think mindfulness exercises are something for you, go for it. With the right guidance, it can prove wonders for you. 

Keep in mind that your life does not have to be in automatic mode. Its control should be in your hand. 

With time, we forget that and keep on reacting with frustration or rage, without even realizing it. 

If you are anxious about your unintentional behavior and want to change the status quo, mindfulness exercises can show the way. With some easy to follow exercises, you can bring your inner positivity back and control your life. 

What are the mindfulness exercises?

Mindfulness exercises are science-based exercises proven to have a great impact on your daily life. They make you calm, relaxed, and less reactive to things you can’t control in life. A consistent practice of mindful exercises can help you focus on the things that matter and ignore distractions. It also brings your mind to present and de-clutter to give you a clear understanding of what matters and what shouldn’t. 

But like all good things in life, mindfulness exercises also take consistent practice to gain back self-control, mental calm, clarity of thoughts, empathy towards others, and better control to do what you want to do in life.

What is the difference between meditation and mindfulness?

The definition and purpose of meditation and mindfulness exercises can, sometimes, overlap with each other, but both have the same purpose — to make you feel awake and more in line with your inner-self. 

In simple words,  mindfulness is a mindset, and meditation is a tool to achieve it. Think of mindfulness exercises as the main gateway to master meditation. 

Many people initially go with popular culture and try their hand at meditation unsuccessfully. 

If you think meditation is not for you, that’s simply because you have not reached that mindset to excel in meditation. Mindfulness exercises can help your mind to be more aware of your conscious-self. 

Mindfulness exercise also helps you focus on things that matter to you the most, without distraction. These exercises may look very simple, but their effect on life is much stronger. 

Here are the five simple ways you can include mindfulness exercises in your life with a few efforts each day. 

Let’s dive in:

Start Your Day With An Aim

Once you wake up in the morning, it’s very important to set up a connection between lower and higher brain centers. They both are responsible for unconscious and conscious decision making. Setting a relationship between them can help you choose your words wisely. It will lead to rightful decisions without reacting negatively. Here’s what you can do:

1. Start your day with simple steps; checking your mobile phone is not one of them. 

2.  Get up early in the morning, sit on your bed, and take a couple of deep breaths. 

3.  Close your eyes and think about how your day should be?

4.  Ask yourself some other key questions: 

o How should my day be? OR take good care of yourself and your loved ones?

o What can you do to make yourself happy and content? OR to feel more connected and compassionate towards others?

o One thing that you want to focus on today i.e., good eating, going out with an old friend, start reading the book you bought last Christmas but couldn’t find time to read. It can be anything.

How Mindful Eating Leads to Mindful Thinking 

Mindful eating is crucial to nourish your mental health. Always take every single bite with an open and conscious mind. It’s about eating what you are truly hungry for, with the utmost interest. Think of it as the most satisfying and pleasurable task of the day. 

Food is not just about chewing and satisfying your hunger. Listen to your body, and don’t eat just for the sake of it. Eat what makes you happy. 

Do these 9 Steps to Make Eating Habits More Pleasurable and Satisfying:

• Sit on the food table and deep breath, and bring your attention to the food in front of you. 
• Take at least 8-10 slow breaths and think about the physical sensation of hunger in your belly. 
• If you believe in god, thank him for all the good things in your life.
• Ask yourself how hungry you are? Don’t eat more than your appetite. 
• Always focus on the food in front of you while eating. Unconscious eating can lead to overeating, which is not unhealthy for mindful thinking.
• It’s important to enjoy the food to the fullest, like any other important tasks you do during your day. 
• From taste to texture to flavor — notice everything in your food. 
• Don’t eat if you don’t like it. Your body will react to these thoughts. 
• Only good food can bring positive energy into your mind and body.

How to Unlock Your Brain With Mindfulness Exercises  

Science says that most humans keep their mind on autopilot mode for most of the day. This is your mind’s shortcut to dealing with daily mundane works and all the craziness that comes with them. 

Pause and rewire your brain to be more in control. The idea is to control your thoughts and actions to the lower part of the brain, which thinks objectively and finds ways to do things differently. 

The autopilot or fast brain takes decisions based on past experiences and does not engage wholeheartedly in a particular task. On the other hand, a slow mind gives you the control to do things differently.

Physical Exercises Turned to Mindfulness Exercises 

Physical exercises not only make you feel rejuvenated but also strengthen mental health. However, rigorous physical activities alone won’t benefit if your mind is out of sync with the body. Here’s what you can do to set an aim to make physical exercises turned to mindfulness exercises.

• Bring in purpose in your physical exercises. Think about legends who have achieved big things in life and envision how they would undertake each task. 
• Notice everything — deep breathings during cycling; each stroke during swimming; and every push up in the gym. Pay attention to details and be present in the moment.
• Try to maintain a rhythm while exercising. The rhythm will activate your mind and body and bring them in direct contact with each other.
• While indulging in physical exercises, try to push yourself; feel yourself pushing the limits.
• When you are about to end your exercising session, notice how your body starts relaxing. 
• Recognize all physical sensations your body is going through as it returns to its normal position.

Try out these and let us know in the comments below how did it help you achieve better in life.