Being mindful, for today’s seniors, means focusing on one thought and living in the moment. In such a busy world, it can be hard to learn how to focus your energy to reduce stress, improve your health, and give you a better appreciation for life.

4 Ways to Practice Mindfulness:

1. Breathe – to push away worrying thoughts or to stop your mind from wandering, simply stop and take a few deep breaths and focus only on your breathing and the environment around you. Take a few minutes to do this in situations where your mind tends to start running away on you, like in the car when stopped at a traffic light, or when you’re taking a shower

2. Focus in the morning and at night – before you fall asleep, your mind is likely to wander about your expectations for the next day, and the same thoughts might plague your mind when you wake up in the morning. Take a few minutes just to breathe

3. Turn off the autopilot – with tasks that you tend to do impatiently, like brushing your teeth or cleaning, take yourself out of autopilot mode and focus on the motions of what you’re doing, no matter how mundane the task is

4. Remind yourself to focus – a normal daily occurrence can act as a reminder that it’s time to tune back into the present. When the phone rings, or you go to put on your seatbelt, stop and focus

Via: About.com

Image: minocqua.org

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