How to be mindful without having to meditate
If you find yourself flying through the days, weeks and months it might be a sign that you are going through the motions of life, and not really being present. I am certainly guilty of this, especially during 2020 and the pandemic - I was in survival mode many days and found myself feeling like each day was just rolling into the next.
When we’re in default mode, we tend to be in a state of self-evaluation, rumination and stressful/worrying thoughts, which can trigger an internal stress response.
The good news is we can break out of this cycle and move out of default mode.
By moving out of default mode, we redirect our mind to focus on the here-and-now, which helps bring the body into the rest/digest mode and has a positive affect over our mental and emotional wellbeing.
As a somatic therapist, meditation and yoga teacher, I strongly believe in the power of the mind-body connection.
However, I don’t believe that meditation serves everyone. Wait, what?!
Sometimes meditation can help and sometimes meditation is the last thing I want/need to do - my body and mind will resist the practice. This is normal and not uncommon.
Mindfulness has been proven to help improve people’s mood and mental wellbeing; however, many people resist a practice because they assume that mindfulness requires a meditation practice. You can still be mindful without having to meditate. Meditation is one path to a mindfulness practice, but it’s not the only path. There is not a one size fits all mindfulness/meditation practice.
Mindfulness is observing what is happening in the moment. Observing your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, breath, sounds in the environment, temperature, textures, smells, taste and touch. It is being aware of the present moment with a sense of curiosity vs. judgment (we judge when we’re in a default mode.)
Here are 6 ways to have a mindful practice that have nothing to do with sitting in silence:
Mindful Movement: Apply mindfulness to your exercise routine, no matter what your preferred way to move is. This is the concept of interoception: noticing what is going on inside of your body. For example, if you like to lift weights, notice what muscles are engaged to help you lift and release, notice your heart rate, your breath and your body’s temperature. If you enjoy walking, notice what muscles are engaged to move your legs and keep you balanced, notice your heart rate and your breath. Notice temperatures against your skin, sounds in the environment and smells. In yoga, instead of focusing on the form of the pose, notice what your body feels like when it’s in the pose. We use the pose to connect and feel the body vs. using the body to get into the pose. The point is, try to be present with your internal and external world while engaging in the movements.
Breath Exercises: Our breath is a powerful tool that is both passive (our bodies breathe for us without us having to think about it) and active (we can control our breath to shift our internal states). Focusing on your breath can help direct the mind to the present moment. When we bring an awareness to our breath, it naturally tends to slow down which helps bring the body and mind into a rest and digest mode. Try focusing on your exhale and inviting it to become longer and slower than your inhale. If breath work causes you to feel more stressed or anxious, don’t force it. Nothing is wrong with you, for some, breath work is activating. Instead, see how it feels to be aware of the sounds in your environment and the textures you feel against your skin.
Mindful Task: Bring your awareness to what you are doing in the moment, especially to those activities that you normally multitask with or go through the motions of just getting them checked off your to-do list. For example, when doing the dishes, don’t listen to any music or podcast and instead let there be silence while noticing the sounds of the water and dishes, the smell of the soap, the temperature of the water, etc. When driving try to feel your hands holding the steering wheel, the seat beneath you, the smells, temperature, etc.
Mindful Meal or Drink: Try to have a meal without any distractions (no T.V., music, podcast, games, etc.) Focus on engaging in conversation with your loved ones if eating with others or enjoying your own company if eating alone. Engage your senses by noticing the colors in your dish, textures, smells, temperature and taste. Check-in with your body periodically to see what it needs from you throughout the meal. You can also bring the same awareness when having your favorite beverage. For example, when having your tea try not to multitask by doing other things and instead eliminate sounds and other distractions in your environment. Then feel the warmth of the mug in your hands, the smell of the tea, taste, etc. Take in the moment and check in with your felt experience.
Mindful Self-Care: When engaging in your normal hygiene routine, bring an awareness and intention to the experience. For example, in the shower spray your favorite scent before you get in and let the steam and scent create a spa-like experience. While washing your hair and body, notice smells, textures, temperature of the water and air. When brushing your teeth, taste the freshness of your toothpaste, the sensations of the brush on your teeth, the sound of brushing and then really take a moment to notice your clean mouth when you’re done.
Guided Meditation: Wait, what … I thought this was about not meditating. Well yes, it’s not in the traditional sense. There are different types of meditation. So hear me out - guided meditation often includes visualizations and imagery allowing you to engage your imagination, so it’s not necessarily a practice that includes observing your current thoughts like we do when meditating in silence. Many people avoid meditation because their internal worlds are scary or dark, so they naturally want to avoid them (I get this and this is one reason why meditation does not always serve us, especially if we have a history of trauma); however, a guided meditation that is focusing on imagery of one’s state or desired state can be used as an anchor to come back to over and over when you notice the mind wondering so it can be a nice alternative to meditating in silence. For support with a guided meditation practice that incorporates a trauma-informed approach, click here.
Think of many of these exercises as ‘single-tasking.' Keep them simple and try not to overcomplicate the practice.
I invite you to reflect on and notice what preconceived notions you might have about mindfulness and notice if any of your beliefs about it are supporting you in a practice or holding you back from having a mindfulness practice in your life.
And remember, our minds wonder, it’s what they do especially when on default mode, which many of us live in the majority of our lives. You can’t be “bad” at being mindful - but you can have room for growth. The practice is observing when the mind is wondering. As soon as you emerge from the fog, that’s the critical moment. Just come back to the moment.
If you’re curious about a guided meditation practice, check out my meditations. I have designed each bundle of meditations for different needs so you can choose whichever one resonates with your experience. You can also begin your healing journey by exploring my meditations for free on Insight TImer.
