Mindfulness is a trendy buzzword you’ll often hear in self-help books, pop psychology articles, and personal development guides. However, if we take a closer look, mindfulness isn’t really about having an incredible beach body or looking at life through rose-tinted glasses. You’ll also find that there are important things that mindful people just do differently.
Mindfulness aims to give you the tools to live a more fulfilling life. It helps you see the bigger picture to make better decisions based on your values and long-term goals, rather than short-term fixes that only provide fleeting happiness.
Mindfulness is the act of living in the present moment instead of worrying about the future or dwelling on thoughts from the past. Mindful people are one step ahead. They think and do things differently.
Here are ten ways mindful people do things differently:
1. They don’t waste their time on things they can’t control.
Many things are outside our control. Mindful people realize that sometimes, all they can do is accept what’s going on and move forward. So, they don’t waste energy trying to control the uncontrollable; they focus on what they can control — their thoughts and actions.
2. They have inner peace.
People who practice mindfulness tend to make better decisions, be more productive, and feel calmer overall.
They have inner peace. They can be in the moment. They notice their breath, whether it’s deep or shallow, quiet or busy. They’re aware of things going on around them and just let go of whatever’s happening in their heads.
3. They are OK with silence
Mindful people are comfortable with silence, both when they’re by themselves and with others. They don’t feel the need to fill every void in a conversation or every moment of quietness with noise or entertainment.
They know how to be at peace with their thoughts and how to comfortably enjoy the presence of others without the pressure of constant talking.
4. They take time to reflect
On a daily basis, mindful people take time to reflect on what has happened since they woke up in the morning. They check in with themselves and notice their thoughts and feelings so that nothing catches them off-guard during the day.
5. They focus on one thing at a time.
Multitasking might seem productive, but APA research mentions otherwise: multitasking actually makes us less productive by forcing our brains to shift attention from one task to another repeatedly.
Instead of multitasking, mindful people know what to choose and focus on one thing at a time — giving each activity or conversation their full attention and effort. As a result, these people tend to accomplish more than others because their brain is not being overloaded by multitasking.
6. They live in the moment.
We often feel unhappy because we’re not living in the present moment. Instead, we spend much of our time thinking about the past or worrying about the future.
Mindful people are masters at living in the moment. Instead of beating themselves up for mistakes or stressing about what could go wrong, they accept their thoughts and feelings without judgment. They enjoy life as it comes to them.
7. They prioritize self-care.
People who are mindful know they’re no good to others if they don’t take care of themselves first. They practice little things every day that help them feel better, such as eating healthy foods, exercising, skincare routines, meditations, and getting enough sleep.
If you want to be more mindful, then start by taking a step back and assessing the health of your body and mind. What do you need? How can you take better care of yourself?
If you’re really lost, you can also try these 10 brilliant ways to practice self-care to put yourself first.
8. They practice gratitude.
Appreciating all you have and understanding little things really matters at all. They’re grateful for their health, their relationships, their job, and all the other blessings in their lives.
Gratitude increases happiness, reduces depression, and improves relationships, health, and emotional intelligence. To keep up with practicing gratitude, you can start a 30-Day Gratitude Challenge that you can practice in less than 5-minutes per day.
9. They aren’t afraid to say “no”.
When a person can say “no” to things that make them stressed, that’s when they start to be mindful. They don’t accept everything that comes their way. They realize it’s OK to say no so they can focus on the things that are truly important to them and will make the most significant impact.
10. They have learned from past mistakes.
People learn from past mistakes — both big and small — and you can use this knowledge to guide you to the future.
Mindful people don’t make the same mistake twice because they have learned from their past experiences, which helps them make better decisions moving forward in life.
In the end, it seems that the biggest lesson of mindfulness is to slow down and appreciate life. It’s certainly a more straightforward way of living and one that we could all benefit from.
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