Practicing Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness in the shower this morning was a fantastic start to my day. I noticed that my head was crammed with unnecessary chitter chatter and I had to find a way of releasing it. Therefore, there’s no better way of achieving this by imagining hot water simply washing it all away.

Being Mindful

I have successfully become mindful to my negative thinking and sometimes constant worry. Of course, I’m not perfect and there are times that I don’t notice it straight away. Unfortunately, this results in feelings of stress and anxiety building up, and this is when I become mindful to it. Previously with my general anxiety disorder, I never noticed it at all. I was often trapped on my drama roundabout, with each rotation enhancing my feelings of impending doom.

Returning back to the present day, chastising myself for jumping on my drama roundabout was not an option.

Of course I would love to always remain focused on the present moment, but I’m only human! I’ve learned that some loving self-nurture instead of harsh criticism is the best course of action to take.

Therefore, it was time to step off this merry go round and start being mindful of my present moment. This can easily be achieved by feeling the water on my skin, observing the swirls of steam and smelling the scents of shampoo, and soap.

Being mindful in the shower

Stepping into the shower, I began by taking a nice slow breath in. Suddenly, I inhaled water right to the back of my throat. I began coughing and heaving and then I called myself a bloody ‘****head’.

So much so for being non-judgemental!

I simply smiled at my silliness and carried on with my shower.

Breaking a habit of negative thinking and being judgmental isn’t going to stop just like that! Also, years of being my own worst critic and not showing myself any love or kindness, isn’t going to correct itself over night.

Continual practice however, will make all the difference.

Don’t ever give up!

If you put in the work, you can expect positive results.

Like me, you probably won’t form a new habit of positive thinking, even after a year. Don’t make the mistake of setting a goal of achieving a new habit in so many days either. There are too many factors that could set you up to fail. By continual practice, you will notice a step in the right direction that empowers and motivates you to keep going forward.

Don’t give up!

I’ve included a link to an article below from James Clear.com. It’s a fascinating and empowering read about formulating habits.

How Long Does it Actually Take to Form a New Habit? (Backed by Science)

Jamesclear.com