Mindfulness or the capacity to bring our attention to the present moment is important now more than ever. Our highly connected and overly distracted society doesn’t give as much elbow room for us to take the situation in, process our interactions and environment, realign, and act. The norm has been to go to the next step as quickly as it is possible. While we can’t turn the clock of technology and society back, we can always work on our mindfulness. If you see any hint of these five indicators on yourself, you are definitely on your way to being more mindful (that is if you’re not yet one):
You don’t avoid or deny your emotions
If you feel sad, you are sad. If you feel disgusted, you are disgusted. If you feel delighted, you are delighted. There is no need for hiding and sugarcoating. You recognize how you feel and why you feel it.
You understand that life and everything in it is temporary
You feel your emotion as much as you can, no matter how negative or positive because you recognize that it is fleeting. Much like everything in life, circumstances don’t always stay where they are.
You make each moment a chance to be present
Mindful people are always right where they are. The weight of everything is in the present, not in the past, and not in the future. When you find yourself dissecting your steps and watching your every move, you are mindful.
You relish your food
Mindful people enjoy every bite and recognize not just the ingredients but also the portions taken and how food interacts with one’s body. It has been argued that mindfulness is key to weight management, but far more than that, mindfulness is also a key to one’s overall positive well-being.
You listen to people
Perhaps the greatest and the most important indicator of mindfulness is in one’s interaction with other people. You are mindful if others know that you are there and that they have your undivided attention.
Which of these can you find in yourself? Regardless, mindfulness is always a work-in-progress. It is always a must to cultivate it.