Mindfulness: The Most Effective Techniques: Connect With Your Inner Self To Reach Your Goals Easily and Peacefully

by Ian Tuhovsky

Successful people don't just let changing circumstances come and kick them in the butt. They don't bury their heads in the sand and refuse to adapt to the turning of the tide. Instead, they understand the shifting, impermanent nature of things and meet changes with an inner attitude of acceptance and a willingness to learn and adapt.

Successful people do not feel resentful about the past. They don't blame their parents, bosses, coworkers, ex-lovers—whoever—for their problems. Instead, they accept what has happened in the past as over and done with and look to the future. Without waiting for a lucky break to come along, they take charge of their own lives and shape them according to their desires.

Successful people don't let defeats, setbacks, and disadvantages keep them from pursuing their goals. They are “happy warriors” who, instead of getting discouraged, push past obstacles with vision, focus, and the outrageous determination of conquerors.

Mindfulness does not indulge in memories of yesterday or hang on to happy nostalgia or bad feelings from the past.

Mindfulness is about cultivating an awareness and appreciation of the here and now, of the richness of your present experience.

Thoughts are not your enemy in meditation; they are just part of the energy of the mind. Just sit down with yourself, and your mind will naturally come to rest on its own without any interference on your part. And you will find out what a joy that can be.

By avoiding meditation, we avoid ourselves.

Walk and notice. One easy way to get into the mindfulness thing is just to take a short walk around your neighborhood and try to notice things you've never seen before.

Stop and listen. Wherever you are, just stop what you're doing and listen to whatever sounds you can hear.

check how things are going inside your head and heart. How do you feel right now? What kinds of emotions are occurring? Happiness, anger, sadness, irritation, amusement, love, desire? Get specific. Don't just think “anger,” but try to identify if it's indignation you're feeling, or maybe rage, or bitterness. The ability to be precise about your emotions is called emotional granularity, and it's a good skill to have, because it helps with regulating your emotions.

To keep your mind from wandering from the breath, you may find it helpful to count. As you breathe in, count one in your head. As you breathe out, two.

Can you separate the thoughts that come along with restlessness from the bare physical sensation? Pay attention to the impermanence and shifting nature of the restlessness, also. This will give you insight into its nature.

live and breathe a world of my peers, my friends and enemies. This world is the arena of my action; the people in it will be my helpers and, finally, the witnesses to my success. So it's worthwhile to feel some gratitude to the people in my life and to take care of my relationships with them.