Mindfulness: Learning to stay in the present moment

A Quick Guide

Mindfulness is a popular strategy used in psychotherapy to cultivate present moment awareness and acceptance. It helps individuals who struggle with dwelling on the past or future. By being aware, paying attention, and remembering to stay present, mindfulness can reduce stress and enhance overall well-being. Formal and informal practices can be incorporated into daily life to develop mindfulness as a habit.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a popular strategy used in psychotherapy, especially for individuals who live excessively in the past or future. For many people staying in the present moment is a struggle. Mindfulness can teach them to pay attention to the present and not let the past or future affect them. The purpose is not to change anything but to accept the current moment as it is.

You may think ‘I am not one of those people who think about the past or the future that much, so this doesn’t apply to me’. But tell me, aren’t you always thinking of proceedings of today or upcoming events of tomorrow? Even your minor everyday decisions are based on the past or future. For example, planning to go out with friends the next day, deciding what to eat for lunch, when to start studying for the exam, etc. So, considering that not many of us stay present. Here, mindfulness can help us greatly. It incorporates the ability to:

• Be aware: you decide to be conscious.
• Pay attention: you focus and sustain your attention.
• Remember: you remind yourself to stay present.

An Example of Mindfulness

Consider the example of a student who is anxious because he has to give a presentation in school the next day. He feels afraid and has thoughts of failure and others laughing at him. He decides to practice mindfulness. At first, he becomes more aware of his breathing. He notices its fast rate but continues to stay focused on the present moment. Gradually, he tries to breathe more slowly. He reminds himself to stay in the moment whenever his mind starts drifting away. This reduces his thoughts about his future presentation which helps him to calm down.

Notice, that in this example, there is no suggestion of changing, avoiding, fighting, denying, or fixing anything. It is just trying to be present and accepting things the way they are.

What does the absence of mindfulness look like?

A person who is not mindful lives life on an automatic pilot mode. He spends most of the time in his mind and is unaware of his actions or his environment. For example,

• Not knowing what you ate or how it tasted
• Thinking about work while being out with friends
• Worried about studies while watching a favorite movie etc.

Doing the above only adds to one’s stress. Such people often report they are unhappy even when everything is going well in their life. 

What does the presence of mindfulness look like?

A mindful person pays attention to the present moment in a non-judgmental, non-reactive, and open manner. It can include the decision to focus on something in the present moment. For example,

• Hearing your thoughts
• Noticing your breathing
• Identifying your emotions
• Being conscious of your surroundings and accepting them as they are etc.

Such a person may enjoy the flavor of food, stop to smell the roses on his way to work, relish the time spent hanging out with friends, and so on.

Status and Practice of Mindfulness

Mindfulness was developed and practiced in eastern and western cultures. Today, it is a well-researched and tested technique that is useful for treating a number of problems e.g. anxiety, depression, pain-related conditions, etc It can be practiced in two ways:

Formal practice

This includes formally practicing mindfulness by taking time out from your routine and dedicating a certain period to training your mind to stay present. You adopt an intentional attitude towards practicing and making it a habit.

Informal practice

This includes being mindful on the go while doing daily activities. For example, while cooking, cleaning, and washing the car, you stay present and experience each moment fully.

If you want to practice mindfulness and adopt it in your daily life, it is suggested that you start with formal practice. Daily, dedicate at least 10 minutes to it. Initially, you may feel awkward about it, may not know how to do it properly, or experience the full benefits. However, with practice, it will become second nature and you will start practicing it informally without even knowing 🙂

To understand the significance & wide-ranging application of mindfulness and why it is essential for you to practice it, check out some of our other articles.