Mindfulness, Meditation, Movement:

The 3 M’s for Optimal Health

There are many things that contribute to a life of optimal health. In this article, I will discuss what I feel are 3 of the most important practices in staying healthy spiritually, physically, and mentally.

Mindfulness

Being mindful is simply being aware. Aware of how you are feeling. Aware of what you are thinking. Aware of all the beauty around you. Simply aware.

It is easy to get in an auto-pilot mode without giving a single thought to our surroundings and our actions. The alarm goes off. We jump up, get in the shower, get ready for work and out the door we go. We get in the car, drive to work using the same route we always use, jump out of the car, head into the office and punch the time clock. All without a thought.

No thought of the beautiful flowers or trees on the side of the road as we drive to work. No thought of the silence as we awaken in the morning. No thought to the birds chirping outside our window. No thought of the breath that fills our lungs as we rise to head to the shower. No thought of the warm water flowing over our body.

Mindfulness is being aware of all of those things. Being aware of our present moment and taking time to just be silent and grateful.

Mindfulness is taking time to simply notice.

Check in with yourself occasionally throughout the day.

• How are you feeling?
• What are you thinking?
• How are you being?

Meditation:

Meditation has been overwhelmingly proven in the research to have positive implications for our overall health and well-being.

Let us start by asking ourselves, What is the first thing I pick up in the morning?

I think many of us have gotten into the habit of picking up our phone the minute our eyes open. I have been guilty. Some reach for the remote control to the television and immediately begin to fill their mind with all the external noise in the world. Let’s face it, the news is about 90% negative. Stories of war, increased crime, the soaring price of the cost of living and all the fighting going on in the political world. I don’t know about you, but I choose not to hear that. Especially the first thing in the morning.

Set the tone for a better day by just taking time to go inward when you wake up. Focus on your breath as you breathe in and out. Just lay there and think about the breath providing essential oxygen to every cell in the body. Without it, you’d be dead. No reaching for the phone or turning on the news at that point.

Take the time to disconnect completely from your external environment.

To me, meditation is a syncing up with the soul.

There is no right or wrong way to practice meditation. I have reached a point where I can meditate anywhere. I reached that point out of necessity for my mental health. Sometimes the city noise can put me in a deep meditation. At other times, the sound of nature does the trick. Complete silence is probably the best thing that works for me but again, find your path and do what works for you.

Some people enjoy meditation music while they practice. Some say guided meditation helps them get to that inner space. Keep in mind, there is no wrong way. The right way is whatever works for you.

Movement:

Movement benefits us on every level of our being. It has positive implications for our spiritual, physical, and mental being.

It can be practiced in conjunction with mindfulness, meditation or alone by itself. However, I find that it feels better when I incorporate my movement with mindfulness and meditation.  How am I feeling during the movement? What sensations do I feel? Do I feel discomfort anywhere?  Flowing through my movements with a meditative mind set seems to also allow me to be more present with the movement. It allows me to go deeper into each movement as I focus on the inhalation and exhalation of each full breath.

Give yourself the gift of you. Set aside time every day to practice being mindful. Just pause. Set aside time every day to just sit in silence and meditate. Set aside time each day to move. Take a power walk. Get moving. It will increase your circulation and boost your immune system as well as keep the heart strong and functioning at optimal capacity.

Mindfulness, meditation, and movement will have a strong positive impact on your overall sense of well-being and lead you down a path towards your greater self. Make a habit of practicing each one daily. Saying you don’t have time is like saying you are not important enough or you don’t deserve the self-care. As a result, you are left not living your best life.

I look forward to hearing your feedback. How are you practicing being mindful? Do you practice meditation? Are you physically active? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

I am excited to share with you next time on my monthly blog. If you haven’t already, please enter your email address to receive my monthly thought provoking articles straight to your inbox.

Grateful,

Vince