Take a mindful walk today.

If you want to take better care of yourself, stay I the moment. Stop focusing on the future or the past. You cannot  change any of that. All you can do is what you are doing right now in this moment of time.

Practice mindfulness by committing yourself to the present. The now. It can truly help you with your stress, even your eating can be done mindfully. I find that in the winter months because of the extreme cold weather, it seems to make me hungry. If I eat mindfully, tasting every bite of food, putting my fork down between each bite, using colorful and smaller plates, I eat less.

Mindful Techniques

Here are some tips on mindfulness and its health benefits by author Daniel Goleman and Joel Gurin from the book Mind-Body Medicine: How to Use your Mind for Better Health.

There is nothing mystical about mindfulness meditation, it is just beginning to pay attention with purpose. If you practice allowing yourself to throw away each passing thought, and move on, this is the beginning of your practice.

The goal is to focus your attention on one object, or your breath, always bringing yourself back to this focal point when your mind wanders.

Committing to Practice Mindful Meditations

Being mindful means commitment to yourself. More than a technique, it is a way of life. Becoming mindful of your surroundings when you are out for a walk, seeing the beauty of life and nature.

There are many studies that support learning meditation for such ailments as pain, stress, and relaxation methods. Practicing alternative therapies can really help you to be grounded in the Earth.

Taken in part from: Goleman, D. and Joel G. (1993). Mind-Body Medicine: How to Use your Mind for Better Health. New York, NY. Consumer Report.