Stay in the Now and You Will know How Keeping Mindfulness REAL

Let’s be clear.  If we start to think of mindfulness we immediately become overwhelmed by all the information, tools, things we should read and all the ways mindfulness will change our lives if we just do this laundry list of things.  Let’s keep it REAL.  You are not going to do anything that seems cumbersome, long or boring.  Why? Because no one wants to!  We can however, keep it REAL= Right Now Energize Awaken and Love

Right Now!

Don’t get caught up in the bullshit.  The only thing you really have to think about and honor is what’s happening right now.  This exact moment. Reading this. Paying full attention to what you are doing in the moment right now. Don’t even just keep it in the day keep it in the moment right now!

Keep in it the now- and here’s how:

• Let your breath be your guide. You are breathing in and out- that is happening right now in real time in the moment. It’s that simple.
• Ground yourself with your feet. What on earth does grounding even mean? People ask me that all the time.  Put both feet on the ground, press them down.  You are grounded.  That’s it.
• Laugh out loud. Did you wander off and your mind went somewhere else?  That’s pretty funny!!  Laugh out loud about it and see how fast you become present with the sound, movement of your mouth, smile and sensation in your body.  Welcome back.

Energize!

Working out sucks.  That’s why we hate the gym.  Bringing peace to our minds doesn’t just have to do with our minds but our bodies too.  They do really like communicating together, giving feedback to one another and joining together around things that bring us joy. Here is how we can energize and keep ourselves alive:

• Have fun moving your body. If your mind went directly to the sexy place that’s not a bad thing it is one of the best ways to burn calories however there are lots of other fun creative ways as well.  If you are not having fun moving your body then, well, do not do it!!  That literally is the only point.
• Drink lemon water. No matter what- this always energizes my mind and body and is so simple. Just do it.
• Dance naked. Yup I said it. I don’t know that I need to say much about this except for give it a try, maybe even in the mirror and see what happens.  Mindfulness also has everything to do with how we perceive ourselves in the mirror and dancing naked is a sure way to feel free in the moment.

Awaken!

Some of us think of awaken as awakening our spirit in the mindfulness world, but I am going to go ahead and say just wake the fuck up.  Like literally.  Wake up in the morning.  Wake up on your own terms and carry it throughout the day- here are some ideas:

• Put the two corners of your mouth on the rise. Most mornings you wake up feeling some type of way but why not help your mind and body by pointing it in the direction you want by smiling.  You can always insert a big breath here and smile bigger if you want. Imagine?
• What do you smell? I know people say this all the time; pay attention to your senses when trying to be mindful. I have to say it’s true. How do I know?  Since my daughter was 4 all she does all day is look at things, tangible things, talk about how they smell, what color they are, what her thoughts are about them, how many of them she sees and how freakin exciting the thing is.  She is bursting with joy from her head to her toes every single time.   Incorporate that into your morning routine and throughout your day and watch the magic happen.
• What is your first thought of the day? Don’t know? Find out.  Write it down.  Look at the pattern. Write that shit down.  You will either be left with a beautiful love poem or the most depressive eulogy written.  Your brain is already working when you wake up- find out what’s there before you take action. If you don’t like the direction it’s going then change it, BEFORE you get out of bed.

Love!

Life literally can’t operate without it. Neither can you.  Shake it up! Invite love in, in really big different ways.  Let the universe know you are really all about this to an embarrassing degree.   Let there be no question that you love yourself and you are willing to go any length to show it.

• Define love with sharpness first. Make it crystal clear. Sometimes fear gets in the way of allowing our minds to really become clear.  Since FEAR is really just False Evidence Appearing Real we should just be able to let it go.  However, our bodies and minds often need something to replace something we are letting go to ease the pain at first.  That’s where the love comes in.  Define love so clear for yourself that there is no question and watch it grow in you and all around you.
• Create the coolest mantra you know how. You will know what this is because your soul will skip a beat.  Make a list of positive mantras (Good shit about who you are) and pick one that resonates with you the most and incorporate it everywhere.  I mean everywhere: say it in the shower, before you eat, after you go to the bathroom, while you yoga, while you dance naked (Obvious) before you put your kid to bed, before you get in the car, while petting your dog- you get the idea.
• Speak Love. Say I love you all the time!  Communicate it to yourself but then share it!  Love is so simple but powerful and people overthink it all the time.  I say I love you all the time after I teach yoga because saying namaste and honoring the divine light in someone else is well, love in my book.  I say it to strangers.  I say it to the sassy pool ladies I teach aqua to that are all above 70, I said it to the post office guy the other day because he just looked like he really needed it. Kindness is love.  People are communicating love all the time every day, lets honor it and say it out loud.

Lets continue to keep it simple and keep it REAL.   If you do all these things, you will be well on your way to living a happier mindful life, but if you don’t at least just dance naked in the mirror with the mantra you have soul searched for and just have some fun.  How we live after all is what keeps us real.

Ayanna Parrent, LICSW is the Owner and Founder of B FREE Coaching and Consulting Find Recover Evolve and Enjoy, Yoga Instructor, POUND Pro,and  Zumba  Instructor to children and adults.  She can be found at www.bfreecoaching.org , Ayanna.blog and bfreecoaching@mail.com