We will first be looking at the challenges and obstacles that we face living in this modern age and that we face in our quest to lead a more mindful life. A bit later we can see how we can add Mindfulness practices to our daily lives.
First, I want to talk about the importance of becoming more introspective and finding time by oneself. It can be challenging to find quiet time by myself when I can be calm and introspective. Many people these days almost constantly watch their phones, computers and TVs and keep their mind occupied that way. Thus, we are being bombarded with what is commonly called information overload. This has a tendency to keep the mind in an agitated state. If we want to have a more mindful life, we will need to become more aware of what we expose ourselves to. And we need to be aware of how I am being affected by what I expose myself to.
For example, the type of music I listen to has a profound influence on how I am feeling afterwards. Different people prefer different types of music, but we have all experienced how some type of loud music that we don’t like has caused us irritation. There have been tests performed how some plants wither away when they were placed next to loud heavy metal music. At the same time, they flourushed when some relaxing music was played. Similarly, we make choices who we want to spend time with, what we see and read, what we eat and drink, etc. All of these choices can have a significant impact on whether we experience peace and happiness in our lives or if we feel unfulfilled and disturbed. Being introspective is an important part of mindfulness. It is like taking your temperature to see how your health is. If we are introspective, there is a better chance that we can be in touch with ourselves and notice when something does not feel right.
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