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7 Mindfulness Exercises You Can Try Today

Mindfulness is a concept that many of us think we understand, but don’t always. Do you feel that your body is sometimes on autopilot? Like you are walking around without really absorbing or noticing anything? Being able to have an awareness of our environment is something that takes careful time and attention. Once we have achieved this, we are in a better position to cope with difficult thoughts, feelings, stressors, and day-to-day anxieties. With mindfulness exercises, we are able to stay present and deal with life in a clear-minded way.

Mindfulness leads to conscious awareness that frees us from limiting ourselves and allows us to be more positive, compassionate, and understanding of ourselves and others.

For more information on the importance of mindfulness for anger management, check out our recent anger management article.

And now is the time to learn several exercises that will help you get more mindful already today. 

Exercises

The Raisin Exercise

This is the perfect option for beginners, so if you are new to this or unsure of the process, start here. Please note, this can be completed with any kind of food, but we recommend one with an unusual taste, texture, or smell. To begin, pretend that you have never seen a raisin before. Pay attention to how it feels, tastes, looks, how your skin responds to it, etc.

The point of this exercise is to focus on something directly in front of you. You may eat raisins every day, but have you ever noticed them?

With simple exercises like this, it becomes much easier to focus. If your mind starts to wander, don’t panic, this is perfectly normal. Just find ways to guide it back to the exercise.

Body Scan

This exercise is great because there is no set up or props. It is also particularly easy for beginners.

To begin, lay flat on the floor with your palms facing up and legs slightly apart. You can also do this sitting on a chair with your feet touching the floor if that is more comfortable. You will be in this position for the majority of the exercise. You will then start bringing awareness to your breath. Feel how your body moves when you breathe. Do not try to change or judge anything, but merely become aware of what your body is doing. Next, bring your attention to your body. How does it feel? Are you cold against the floor? How does your clothing feel on your skin? Notice areas that feel particularly heavy, light, tingly, etc. Which areas do not feel like that?

A full body scan will typically start with awareness in your toes all the way up to the top of your head, zooming in on each body part in the middle. Once this is complete, you open your eyes and have a new sense of awareness.

5 Senses Exercise

This exercise, as you might have guessed, is based around drawing awareness to your 5 senses. First, take a moment to notice 5 things that you see. Pick something you would not normally notice, like a chip in paint or cobweb on the ceiling. Observe it closely. Next, find four things that you can feel. This could be the texture of your clothing, the softness of your hair, etc. Then, find three things you can hear. This could be a car humming in the background or music from one of your playlists. Now, find two things you can smell. Bring your awareness to smells you may have not usually noticed, pleasant or unpleasant. You can go outside and smell the grass or trees, or a nearby restaurant. Finally, notice one thing you can taste. Chew a piece of gum, eat a cookie, or try something new!

This exercise is short and sweet, but a great way to be mindful in a quick way. If you do not have the time to do a full body scan but want to practice your mindfulness, this is a great one.

The 3-Step Mindfulness Exercise

This is another great exercise for when you don’t have a lot of time. There’s only three steps:

  • Step One: turn off your “autopilot”

Focus on what you are doing right now and try to channel your sense of awareness there. Try to pause and find a new posture. Notice the thoughts you are experiencing, but let them pass. Feel a strong sense of mindfulness as you become more aware of who you are and what you are doing.

  • Step Two: a minute of breathing

Bring your awareness to your breath. Focus on how your body is responding as you inhale and exhale. Feel how your chest rises and falls and how your torso expands. Ground yourself in the present moment by focusing solely on your breath and how it is moving your body.

  • Step Three: expand your awareness

Now, think about how your body feels. Notice any sensations you may be feeling (tightness, aching, etc). Think about your body as a vessel for your inner self. If you are up for it, expand your awareness to the environment around you. Notice shapes, colors, textures, etc. Slowly integrate these things into your awareness.

Once you have practiced all of these, open your eyes and go through the rest of your day with this new feeling of mindfulness.

Gratitude Meditation

For this exercise, you will need a timer. We recommend setting it for 5, 7, or 10 minutes. Then, sit in a comfortable and quiet place. Once settled, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Notice where you are. Start to become aware of  which country you live in. Now, zoom in further to your specific region of that country. Notice all the positive qualities of being there. Now go deeper and zoom in on your neighborhood. Do the same thing. Recognize the positives and why you are so lucky to be there. Once you have done that, zoom into your specific place of dwelling. Think about the roof over your head and the floor beneath your feet. Recognize that you are fortunate to have these seemingly simple things. Next, notice the clothes you are wearing or the comfort provided from what you are sitting on.

Notice your body and the way it breathes and functions. Take a moment of gratitude for each sense. Recognize that you are meditating and you are present. That it is precious to be growing and deepening your awareness. Sit in this feeling of gratitude until your timer goes off.

Self-Compassion Break

This exercise is in two parts. The first way involves setting a timer for three specific times throughout the day. The alarm will serve as your reminder to take a break for self-compassion. Or, you can keep this notion in mind so that whenever you are feeling stressed, anxious, or otherwise negative, you can practice this.

When the alarm goes off (or when you choose to have a ‘time out’), find a safe, quiet space to close your eyes for a few moments. Then, put one or both hands on your heart, allowing them to lay flat on your chest. Take three deep breaths, letting your chest and torso expand. Next, acknowledge that you are struggling and off yourself words of support that you would offer to someone else in this position. Treat yourself as a friend and hold yourself unconditionally for a few more breaths. Before ending this exercise, try silently repeating these mantras:

  • I honor and support myself
  • I practice peace and patience
  • I love and accept myself

You can repeat these as often as you would like! The power of the spoken word is something we often take for granted, so find out which phrase you gravitate towards and use it.

Finally, finish the exercise by offering yourself any other words or phrases that you need to hear. Once you are done, open your eyes and carry this feeling of self-compassion with you for the rest of the day.

Mindful Appreciation

This is the final exercise, and might be the most important, as simple as it is.

Today, notice 5 things that typically go unappreciated. This could be people or objects–whatever. Take a notebook or the notes app on your phone and write down these 5 things by the end of the day. The point of this exercise is to be more mindful and appreciative into the seemingly mundane parts of life. These things that we do not usually give a second thought or glance, but actually support our existence.

For instance, have you ever thought about how your ears let you hear music? Or the hot water in your shower? Your clothes keep you warm, but…

  • Have you ever noticed their details?
  • Or how life would be like if we didn’t have these simple things?
  • Do you know how these things came into existence? Or how they work?
  • Have you ever thought about and acknowledged how these things benefit your life?
  • What about the relationship between these things and the functionality of the Earth?

Deep thoughts, but once you have found those 5 things, make it your job to find out everything you can about them. That way, you are truly appreciating the way they support your life in a conscious way.

Mindfulness takes practice, discipline, and concentration. If you have tried this before and it didn’t stick, take a moment to identify why. Like any skill, it takes time to develop.

What’s the harm in trying again? All of these exercises are great to do from home and easy to accomplish.Sometimes you are the only thing standing between yourself and a goal, so if you are serious about implementing these meditation and mindfulness techniques, hold yourself accountable and get started!

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