How to Be Mindful While Being Active
Whether you enjoy walking, running, swimming, cycling or a different activity, it’s very likely that you can practice mindfulness while you exercise! Here are a few tips that might help you get started.
- Just like you would warm up your body before physical activity, it’s good practice to warm up your mind before mental activity. Start by creating your intention for the day - what positive, short-term goals have been in the back of your mind recently? This could be to have an effective meeting at work, be a better listener for your partner or be more patient with your child.
- Before you begin your activity, establish a baseline. To do this, focus on your body. How do you feel? Are you feeling strong and energetic? What is your mood like in this moment?
- Begin your activity. How have the first few minutes been? Find your natural pace.
- Now that you’ve gone inward, go outward. What are you experiencing? Feel your five senses one at a time. Look around, and you may begin to notice simple details that you have never thought about before. For the remainder of your activity, become familiar with your surroundings, letting things enter your mind, and then letting them go.
- Once you’ve finished your activity, reflect internally. How do you feel? Do you feel different than your baseline? Does your mind feel calm? Being able to recognize the benefits of your practice can greatly influence your decision to continue with it and turn it into a regular activity.
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