I

n your life’s journey, are you the

passenger, or the pilot? You wake up

in the morning, drink coffee, go to

work, have lunch, go to the gym, eat

dinner, go to sleep, and repeat. But

are you truly engaged in these activities? Do

you feel wholeness and meaningfulness, as

if you are living with intention and purpose?

Or, do you simply go through the motions,

riding on a conveyer belt without much

control over where you are going, or what

choices you make along the way?

Mindfulness can help us be healthier

and less affected by stress, more relaxed,

sleep better, more creative and open to

learning new skills. It also helps us improve

our relationships with others and makes us

happier, gives us more control of our lives

and therefore leaves us more satisfied.

We all like to think that we are fully

engaged in life, taking control in the driver’s

seat. However, in reality, most of the time

we are on autopilot. We go through the

motions of our routines without stopping

to give sincere attention to any of the

mindful steps

to happiness

Mindfulness can be a key skill for greater happiness.

Here, Dana Zelicha details seven easy steps to mindful bliss

activities we are ‘engaged’ in. Through daily

mindfulness practices and meditation, you

can turn off your autopilot, and experience

true engagement with your body and the

environment around you.

Many people believe that mindfulness is

only about meditation, and while this may

be one component, this practice is about so

much more. There are many different ways

to incorporate this quality of presence into

your daily life and with practice any activity

can become a mindful activity. To bring

more attention, awareness, and engagement

to your daily routine, here are seven easy

steps to bring more mindful happiness into

your life:

1

Start meditating

10 minutes a day

You’re probably thinking: ‘Meditation? I

don’t have the time to meditate, I’m too

busy!’ While you’re very busy juggling your

personal and professional life, you may feel

as if there aren’t enough hours in the day.

The good news is that meditation can be

done in just a few short minutes when you

find a spare moment or are in between tasks.

Think about all the times you idly scroll

through your Facebook newsfeed or browse

the internet for the same (if not more)

amount of time. Using those pockets of

downtime for meditating could be just what

the doctor ordered to get you re-focused

and back on track.

2

Observe your thoughts

Focus on your breathing, and where

your mind is focused in that moment. Is

it wandering? If so, where is it going? It

is important to understand that our minds

do wander, and by being aware of when it

happens, we can bring ourselves back to the

present moment. A Harvard study found that

people’s minds wander on average 47% of

the time, regardless of what they are doing.

Moreover, they found that mind wandering

causes people to feel unhappy. Therefore,

taking a moment to observe your thoughts

can help to bring your mind back to the

present moment, and in turn feel happier.

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Yoga & mindfulness special