Let your mind wander even if it is just for a couple of minutes or for a few breaths. Practice patience and kindness with yourself when doing this and gently come back to awareness using a final breath of relief.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Lookout for any tendencies of feeling frustrated or seeing yourself like a failure. Identify this kind of emotions as just any other random though, and gently return to awareness using a simple breath.
Value relaxation, especially if you practice for just a few moments or for a few breaths. This relaxed feeling is your friend. It assists you to be more mindful and present in the moment. Mindfulness is not limited to relaxation alone. It is also about being fully aware and present.
Be ready to notice new things, even painful ones. This is some form of progress and there is nothing wrong with it. You are simply increasing your mindfulness for everything that you come across in life. When you start to notice painful things, check if you can hold yourself with kindness and compassion, and continue to bring neutral awareness to the situation you are facing. See here more information if you need help.
Practice being in the present moment. By not switching your focus when facing painful things, we can learn to be open to all possibilities in our reality. This boosts our chances for transformation and healing when interacting with painful situations. Moreover, it offers us a away to cope with those situations when there is nothing else we can do to get away from the pain but live with it. You can discover that your level of mindfulness is not affected by being in contact with pain, that it can experience pain as fully and completely as any other thing in life.
Don’t try too hard. Don’t attempt everything you can to make something happen, or to achieve a special feeling or state of being! Take some time and relax. Pay attention to the present moment as this is the only thing that is truly in your control. Allow yourself to experience life as it unfolds, while being mindful, and openhearted to the endless possibilities.
