So, What's The Deal With Mindfulness?

You may have heard about "mindfulness" from the media, magazines and other outlets. You may have also seen your local bookshop displaying "Adult" colouring books and wondering how colouring can be adult, and will it involve naked people?!
You may also feel stressed and/or anxious, and feel utterly consumed by your world as it grows bigger. The idea of tomorrow may frighten you, and you may even feel guilt around your daily choices that day.

Mindfulness it to be aware. Aware and accepting of your thoughts, feelings and senses. This may sound like hippie mumbo-jumbo but hear me out.

Sometimes accepting feelings and situations can be really difficult. Especially when you categorise these in your mind as negative. You may feel jealous, angry, anxious or upset and then maybe even guilt on top of that for feeling these feelings. It can be really hard to accept these feelings. You may share your feelings, and be told to "chin up" or "It'll be okay mate!".
For me, mindfulness was accepting these feelings. I'm human, i'm allowed to feel what I feel. These feelings will come and go throughout my life, and it's a joyous part of being alive that we can feel all these different emotions.
Some situations are harder to accept, you've been hurt, cheated on or double crossed. Though these situations definitely need resolving, and you are not alive to take shit from anyone else, accept that these things have happened. This is a part of you now. You will get better, and move forward. It's not a case of letting go, in my opinion there are some things that feel impossible to let go of, but being aware that this is the situation you're in. This doesn't have to be negative, you can accept the current situation that you've binged a whole series on Netflix, or accept that you've just tucked in to a large pizza. It's about acceptance.




Accept your senses and really tune in to them. The feeling of wet rain on your skin and clothes, the smell of bread baking, the sound of excited teenagers gossiping behind you on the bus. Sometimes we get so wrapped in our working day that we forget life's simple pleasures.

To achieve mindfulness, I find it helpful to take time individually that i've scheduled. I relax. I light a candle, have a bath.

Be for the sake of Being.

Mindfulness helped me to overcome over-thinking and certain aspects of my anxiety. Pulling yourself away from overdrive and into first gear, slowing everything right down. I'm not saying mindfulness will solve anything and everything, but it surely can't do you any harm.

How Can I Start Being More Mindful? 

Definitely start by thinking what you want to achieve. More "me-time" or simply to destress, your reasons are your reasons. I'd then think about how much time you want to dedicate solely to this. It can be hard at first, I felt a bit strange doing this as I'd never done anything like it before, so maybe try just 2 minutes, 120 seconds, of being aware to yourself. If you feel after this time you could do more, go for it! This is all about how you feel. I could literally now spend the whole day being mindful if life did not get in the way at times. I still have days where the anxiety clouds over and I can't see to turn on the light, but I accept that. That is me, and I'll get better.


Do you feel like you could use more mindfulness in your life? Or do you think I'm talking complete and utter nonsense? Let me know.

Thank you for reading,

Ellie x