How to Choose a Mindful Practice That is Right for You

Practicing mindfulness can completely change the way that you live your life. It can give you clarity, help you feel more fulfilled, encourage you to truly experience the world around you and help reduce stress. More and more people are practicing mindfulness into their everyday lives. Notable leaders from NBA coach Phil Jackson to Oprah have spoken out on their thoughts and feelings on mindfulness, while major companies are developing mindfulness programs for their employees.

The right mindful practice is different for everyone. Mindfulness is a very personal journey. It is all about the experience, not an end destination and the focus is on personal development instead of fixing problems. If you want to choose a mindful practice that works for you, you need to approach the process with this mindset, understanding that it will be a long journey of self-assessment and development.

The key to choosing a mindful practice is finding a specific practice that works for you. Every person is different, which is why every person will benefit from different types of mindful practices. They key is not to just blindly follow the mindful practices of others, but to understand how to choose an approach to mindfulness that works for you.

If you truly commit yourself to being more mindful, you will have a much greater experience with your journey towards mindfulness. Start by putting yourself in the right mental state, and allow yourself to be open to mindfulness and to changing the way you think and interact with the world. If you start with this base, your own experiences will be clearer and more in tune with what you individually need.

Understanding Mindfulness 

Simply put, there is no universal definition to truly depict what mindfulness is. Generally, there a few main fundamental philosophies, mostly centering around the idea that mindfulness occurs when one is more aware of their physical, mental and emotional condition in their present lives. It is also generally accepted that this state of mindfulness comes without judgement.

Typically, this includes the ability to pay closer attention to different experiences, and to have better control over your own thoughts. There are also different views and beliefs not only on what mindfulness is, but how to achieve it.

The term may be rather ambiguous, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you want to choose a mindfulness practice that works for you, then you need to do your research. There are some philosophies that put more emphasis on the physical aspect of mindfulness, some that use it as an alternative to therapy and some that believe it is all about controlling your thoughts instead of letting your thoughts control you. Mindfulness means different things to different people, you just need to determine what it means to you before you get started.

Choosing the Right Mindful Leader 

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The right mindful leader or program is the foundation of any journey with mindfulness. No matter how you choose to follow the advice of a mindfulness leader, it is important that you take the time to ensure you are working with the right leader. Here are some considerations that can help you determine which leader is the right one for you:

  • Choose a skilled leader that has undergone formal trainings and a long personal practice
  • Mindful leaders should have real-life personal and professional experience
  • Someone who practices mindfulness is never in a hurry, they don’t talk fast, they take their time and they listen to others
  • The right mindful leader will not promise results, they will instead promote the idea that results will vary and that mindfulness coaching is all about the experience.

Having the right person guiding you through your experience with mindfulness can completely change your experience. There is no one person that can force you to be mindful or to change the way you view the world, but they can help guide you in the right direction and teach you how to be more mindful in your everyday life. Before you invest in any mindfulness program, it is important that you research the leader that will be guiding you through this journey.

Mindfulness is a personal experience, but if you take the time to put yourself in the right mindset, understand the different approaches to mindfulness and find the right leader or program, you can end up being much more successful in your endeavors.

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