You don’t have to stop your thoughts to be a mindful person.
You don't have to stop your thoughts to practice mindfulness
You've probably heard or even said this before: "I want to be more mindful, but my thoughts never stop."
Uh, yeah…same. But in truth I've never met anyone who could stop their thoughts, no matter how much they wanted to or tried. Even your friend who goes to yoga every day or practices meditation with a guru. They are still humans with thoughts.
Stopping your thoughts entirely is not realistic for humans and it’s not actually what mindfulness asks of you.
So, what even is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment and being fully there. If you’re at the beach it's hearing the waves, seeing the sky change, feeling the air on your skin or the sand in between your toes. Not worrying about the tasks of tomorrow or replaying conversations from yesterday. And when your mind does drift there [because you’re only human], you’re not judging yourself for it. You're just coming right back to what is in front of you and using your five senses to take it all in.
It sounds simple, and maybe at the beach or on a beautiful hike, it is easier than when you’re at work or at home with your kids and the chores. But with conscious effort, we can use our senses to be fully present in the moments of our everyday life and stay grounded in the hard ones.
What about the thoughts that won't quit?
Trying to stop your thoughts actually tends to make them more intense. Kind of like when you think about an itch and it starts to get worse. Instead of ‘stopping’ your thoughts, mindfulness invites you to let them in and let them pass. No active fight. The goal is learning to live alongside your thoughts, not without them.
Back to the beach (ha, can you tell where I want to be in the middle of June?)…think of your thoughts as waves lapping the shore. The waves come and go, some bigger and more forceful than others and some barely a ripple. You have no power to stop the waves, but you can find your footing and let them move through.
Where do you start?
You don't need a fancy meditation cushion, a silent room or a $20/month app subscription. You just need a moment. Your breath. Your five senses.
If you're curious what this could look like for you, I'd love to connect. [Book a free consult here.]