# Mastering Mindfulness App



## David Baxter PhD (Sep 19, 2017)

*Mastering Mindfulness (No Meditation Required!)* 
_positivelypresent.com_
September 19, 2017     

When many people hear the word "mindfulness," what comes to mind is  a serene-looking yogi chanting mantras softly from atop an embroidered  cushion. Many people equate mindfulness with meditation ? a nice  activity to aspire to, but one that, for a variety of reasons (time,  cultural expectations, etc.), often feels unattainable. Meditation,  while it does offer many incredible benefits to those who practice it,  isn't the same as mindfulness. Meditation can be a wonderful way to  cultivate a more mindful life, and with its rise in popularity in recent  years, there are tons of sites and apps to guide those interested in  it, but mindfulness is about so much more than meditation.

 Mindfulness isn't just about deep breathing and motivating mantras  (though those can be wonderful!). Mindfulness is, as Masters of  Mindfulness founder, Monica Ortiz, says in the video below,  "just about being present, about being aware of where you are, what  you're doing, how you're feeling, what you're thinking, and what's going  on around you without being overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is  going on."



 Of course, we all know that's _way_ easier said than done.  Staying in the moment, being aware of what's happening but not feeling  reactive or overwhelmed, is really challenging for most of us. It's so  difficult, in fact, that most of us would rather not do it, choosing  instead to hurry through our days, numb ourselves from awareness, or  distract ourselves so we don't have to master the art of being mindful. 

 But, as with most things in life, it's the really challenging stuff  that offers some of the greatest benefits. Here are just a few of the  positive things that mindfulness has been proven to do: reduce stress,  offer insights into the self, discover deeper a understanding of life,  experience better health, enhance job performance, improve  relationships, and enjoy how we're spending our time. If mindfulness  offers so many benefits, why are so many of us avoiding it? 

 The reasons for avoiding mindfulness are plenty, but one of the  main reasons, I believe, is that people don't know what to do to be more  mindful. Mindfulness requires practice and repetition. It's kind of  like exercise. We know it's good for us, but some of us aren't  interested in going for a run. The thing is: running isn't the only way  to get some exercise, just like meditation isn't the only way to  practice mindfulness. 

 When it comes to mastering mindfulness, the trick is to find what  works best for you and incorporate it into your life as often as  possible. You might have to play around a bit, trying different  activities to see what feels right for you. Here are some ways you can  play around with adding more mindfulness to your life. 


*SEEK OUT INSPIRATION*
 You're already on the right path, just by being here on Positively  Present! Seeking out inspiration is a great way to connect with a  mindful experience. Just think about the last time you saw or read or  experienced something that made you feel inspired. It caused you to stop  for a moment and reflect, didn't it? Inspiration can be anything ? a  stunning piece of artwork, a glorious sunset, a smile on a child's face,  a quote that feels like it was written just for you at this exact point  in your life. Whatever inspires you, seek it out often because every  time feel inspired, you're mindfully in the moment. 


*GENERATE MORE GRATITUDE*
 Practicing gratitude might sound like cliched advice, but, trust me, it _works_.  Nothing has helped me more in my quest for a positively present life  than learning to be grateful for everything (even the not-so-great parts  of life). I've been keeping a gratitude journal consistently for the  past year (in my _Every Day Matters_ diary!), and I've seen a _huge_  difference in how I feel about the world around me (and about myself  too!). There are many ways to practice gratitude, but a gratitude  journal is an excellent place to begin. 

*MONITOR YOUR MOOD*
 Paying attention to your mood is one of the best ways to not only  be more mindful, but to use that mindfulness to create a more wonderful  life. Knowing how you feel in certain circumstances, around certain  people, and when doing certain tasks allows you to make adjustments ? to  include more of the positive aspects of life and to remove more of the  negative aspects ? and, while these adjustments aren't always easy, it's  amazing what you can do when you remove what's not working. Get  yourself a mood tracker, and you'll find yourself becoming more mindful  of how everything makes you feel. 

*REVERE RELAXATION*
 Relaxation isn't exactly revered in Western culture. It's usually  reserved for vacations and lazy Sunday mornings. But learning how to  relax leads to great moments of mindfulness. For many of us, relaxation  can actually be really tough. We feel like we should be _doing something_.  One way to give more reverence to relaxation is by surrounding yourself  with things to sooth your five senses ? soft melodies to listen to,  calming scents to take in, comforting items to touch (a dog's fur is my  favorite), serene images to look at, and foods that make your taste buds  rejoice. Make time for relaxation and you're making time for  mindfulness. 

These are just a few of the many ways you can practice mindfulness  without meditation (though meditation can be really amazing so  definitely give it a try if you haven't!). There's also a great new app,  Masters of Mindfulness, that's an excellent resource for exploring a  variety of mindfulness techniques. The app includes everything you'd  ever need to master mindfulness all in one spot: a mood tracker, a  gratitude journal, healing songs, mindful living videos, upspirations  (inspirational quotes with insights on applying them to your life), and,  of course, meditation! Mindfulness isn't about adhering to one strict  idea of what it means to stay in the moment; it's about using the  techniques that work best for _you_ so you can reap the benefits of being more aware of what's happening in your life. 



_Masters of Mindfulness is now available on iOS and Android. The app brings  all the tools you need to become a master of mindfulness. Visit their website to learn more about the Masters of Mindfulness app, or download the app to get started._


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