I suppose as I’m inquiring into mindfulness, I should settle on a definition of what I mean when I say it. I found a definition that I resonate with on Headspace:
Mindfulness is the quality of being present and fully engaged with whatever we’re doing at the moment — free from distraction or judgment, and aware of our thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them.
I chose the topic of mindfulness because I wanted to work on an inquiry that I thought would have long term benefits and force myself to do homework that would also be meditative. I suffer from anxiety and seasonal depression, and really wanted to use this inquiry to help combat these issues. However, the past few weeks have been hectic and my mindfulness practice has been less focused than anticipated… A little ironic. This week, I am setting a plan to help really get started on inquiring into mindfulness and what that looks like within my lifestyle.
Starting today, I will attempt to do yoga every day this week and see how that effects my mood, productivity, and mental state. Yoga has always been meditative for me, however I never prioritize it when things get busy with school. In addition to this, I’ve started using the mindfulness app Headspace which offers guided meditations. Next week, I’ll switch to a different activity (walking/running) to see how different exercises affect me.
Rather than keeping a mindfulness journal, I’ll document any useful findings or experiences here.
