CREATING MINDFULNESS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

It’s January and we have officially made it through the hustle and bustle of the intensely busy holiday season.  Hooray us! And now, a new season and a brand new year have made their grand entrance. “New Year, New You!” is what the media and the world tells us and while that can be encouraging for some, I also think it can find a lot of people (myself included) feeling incredibly overwhelmed!  So what if our “New Year’s Resolutions” focused less on being a NEW us, and more on refining, finding and loving who is already there inside?

My personal goal in this new year is simply to find ways to be more mindful on the daily.  My hope is that committing to mindfulness will ultimately encourage more self love, more slowing down and enjoying the present, more intentionality;  and the space to refine who I am in the light of this opportunity to start fresh.

Here’s a current list of my favorite ways to be more mindful in my daily life:

1. SET DAILY ACHIEVABLE GOALS
   Brainstorm a list of things you want to accomplish on any given day. This could be as simple as “make a home-cooked dinner” or “finish one load of laundry.”  Think of something that you know you would like to complete that is achievable in your day. Doing this will help keep you on track for your goals for your daily life.  The idea here is to start small! What small thing is causing you stress that could be fixed by adding it to that daily list of to-dos and knocking it out of the park?
   
   
2. CREATE AN INSPIRATION BOARD
   An inspiration board is essentially a collection of dreams, visions and goals that you combine in one tangible place that allows you to see forward into your hope for the future!  You can make this all at once or you can add to it as things ignite the passion in you, but it’s a really wonderful way to be reminded of what drives you every single day. This board can be constantly changing to reflect your desires for your life.
   
   
3. LEAVE ROOM FOR SELF-CARE
   What does self care look like for you?  Is it lighting a candle and enjoying a bubble bath?  Is it washing your face? Is it running? Is it writing in your journal or doing yoga? Nourishing your body with healthy food?  Whatever that looks like, try and allow yourself a small amount of time to practice some self-care every single day. For me, it’s making a goal of waking up before my toddler in the morning so I can squeeze in some “me time” to drink some coffee and write in my journal.  For you, it could happen on your lunch break, while kids are napping, or before you head to bed. You’re worth it.
   
   
   
4. INVEST IN RELATIONSHIPS
   Whether it be with your significant other, your children or your very best friends, relationships are so essential in our lives and I genuinely believe that whatever it is you put into your relationships is exactly what you will get out of them.  This can be scheduling more time in with your friends if you have the time, it can be sending regular texts to check in or it can be making sure that date night happens. Be mindful and intentional in your interactions and I know you will experience so much growth and love in that area of your life.
   
   
5. AFFIRMATIONS
   Write down positive things that happen in your life every single day.  You could keep a log of them in your planner, keep them in the notes in your phone for quick access or write them down on slips of paper and put them in a jar for 2019.  You could even write positives on post-its and post them in places in your home or your space that you’re sure to see them. As we all know, things go wrong and there’s no way to stop negative things from happening but keeping track of everything positive that’s going on is a sure way to keep us grounded and focused and maybe even more encouraged when we do hit a rough patch.
   
   
6. GIVE YOURSELF GRACE
   Sometimes, a day doesn’t look exactly like we think it should.  Sometimes we make the lists and nothing gets done. Sometimes we schedule self-care time and everything else comes first.  Sometimes we fail. Give yourself grace and remember every single day is a new opportunity to achieve everything you’ve set out to achieve.
   
   

Are there any specific ways you’ve set out to be mindful in this new year?
Please share them with us below!