Ways to Practice Mindfulness this Spring
Find out what mindfulness is and how the practice of mindfulness can help you relax and enjoy the little things.
Jim Dercks, MAC, LPC
Counseling Clinic Therapist
The smell of the flowers, the birds chirping, the warm breeze on your face, and the trees blooming. Springtime is finally here. The long, cold winter is over and the warmth of spring air is making its return. Most of us miss, however, the details of spring that make it so beautiful. Why is that? Is it because we are too busy? Is it because we are too focused on everything else in life? Is it because it comes every year so it’s nothing new, been there done that? These are just a few examples as to why we miss out on the small, detailed wonders of our world. This is where mindfulness comes in.
Mindfulness is a mental state where you become completely aware of your surroundings and your body. Mindfulness is living in the present, not the past or future, and being aware of where you are at in that current moment. To achieve perfect mindfulness, a person is in touch with all five senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound. They acknowledge where they are at and they take it in – all of it.
With spring arriving, this is a great time to practice your own mindfulness. When you hear the birds start chirping, take in the sounds. Chances are you have not heard bird sounds in months. Enjoy their songs and how they communicate with each other. As it starts getting warmer out, go outside and take in the heat of the breeze and block out everything else. Let your body enjoy that warmth as you meditate on it. When you see some flowers that are blooming, take a moment to enjoy the coloring of the flowers after a white winter. Go up and smell those flowers and try to capture every scent that they give off. If you are one for dancing in the rain, spring comes with a lot of it. Feel the rain as it comes down, listen to it splash on the ground, taste the raindrops, and enjoy the moment. Being mindful keeps you in the present moment to take it all in.
Mindfulness brings with it a sense of peace and understanding. If you would like to explore other helpful ways to enhance your mindfulness this spring, please follow the link https://mindfulminutes.com/springtime-mindfulness-6-ways-invigorate-practice/ to practice and learn six more ways to do so from Melissa Eisler. Let us all be more mindful this spring and remember to enjoy the little things!