The importance of mindfulness and returning to the present

Modern society is subject to constant hustle and bustle, a never-ending flood of digital stimuli and enormous pressure to perform, as a result of which the ordinary person often completely loses the direct reference to the immediate present and the simple pleasures of the moment. An incessant thought carousel that revolves around past mistakes or future worries not only robs thedeep joie de vivre, but also prevents a real and conscious feeling of the current moment in which life actually takes place. Effectively avoiding this creeping alienation from one’s own existence requires targeted and regularly applied methods that calm the overwhelmed mind, train sharpened perception and a return to the here and nowin the long term.

The importance of the present

Those who manage to consciously live in the here and now effectively escape the dark shadows of the past and the often crippling fears of an uncertain future that burden the mind unnecessarily. Although it initially takes a lot of discipline and regular practice to interrupt incessant and often automatic thinking in order to consciously descend into the present moment andPerceive reality without filtering thought patterns. However, with time and increasing routine, this change of inner perspective becomes easier and easier and gives the practitioner a deep inner satisfaction that is constantly at rest inside, regardless of external circumstances.

The power of breath

With intense stress, emotional tension and circular thoughts, the body’s natural breathing almost always changes by becoming significantly faster, flatter and more irregular, which in turn further increases nervousness. Targeted and deliberate concentration on one’s own, even flow of breath offers a surprisingly easy and widely available way out ofthis stressful tension, as the breath always serves as a reliable anchor in the present moment. By drawing full attention to the inflow and outflow of air, it is possible to effectively stop the disturbing carousel of thoughts and to focus fully on the present experience again.

The meditation of the breath

For this basic exercise, you look for a place that is as quiet as possible, close your eyes gently and focus your entire mental focus exclusively on your own body and its life-sustaining rhythms. When inhaling deeply, you can intensely feel how the fresh air flows into the lungs and the chest and abdomen are noticeably lifted, which can optionally be done by putting on aHand even more clearly. The subsequent exhalation is also perceived consciously and without any evaluation, as the body descends, lets go and comes into a state of complete physical and mental calm.

Shock Breathing and Counting Technique

Dynamic thrust breathing involves breathing in slowly and in a controlled manner through the nose, raising your arms high and opening your hands to symbolize a physical expanse. After a short hold of the air, the hands are clenched tightly into fists and the arms are lowered again as they exhale vigorously, which makes it possible to experience a physical connection between tension and release.very effective method is to calmly count to four when inhaling in thought and then double the time to eight when exhaling to deepen relaxation. This targeted extension of exhalation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, deepens physical relaxation and anchors the restless mind firmly and irrevocably in the present.

Bee breathing

If the inner voices are particularly loud and prevent the retreat into silence, a soft, vibrating snoring sound is produced when inhaling through the nose, which immediately directs the focus to the physical process. During the subsequent exhalation, a deep, buzzing sound is created, strongly reminiscent of the soothing hum of a peaceful insect and asoothing vibration throughout the head and chest area. The mouth remains closed throughout this procedure, whereby the self-generated sound effectively drowns out the loud and disturbing thoughts and gently regulates the nervous system. Experience has shown that this specific vibration leads very quickly to a pleasant inner silence and promotes deepLinger in the present moment, free from the usual mental distractions of everyday life.

The Science of Gratitude

In modern positive psychology, the targeted care of gratitude occupies an absolutely firm place, as it creates a deeply positive and constructive feeling that strengthens the entire emotional foundation. Those who are regularly and sincerely grateful prevent the harmful emergence of negative emotions such as envy or frustration, without these natural feelingsto be suppressed or ignored. This inner attitude demonstrably makes people happier, more optimistic and at the same time much more empathetic in dealing with themselves and their social environment, which has a positive effect on all areas of life.

The Satisfaction Study

Scientific research impressively demonstrates this positive effect by closely observing participants over a period of ten weeks and documenting their psychological and physical development. An experimental group noted five things every evening for which they were sincerely grateful, while other groups expressed everyday anger or completelyneutral events of the day. The clear result showed that the grateful group was significantly more satisfied with their lives in the end and even had fewer physical complaints such as headaches or dizziness. These people also exercised noticeably more in their free time and were overall in a much better and more robust healthConstitution than the comparison groups.

Gratitude Journal

In order to use this scientifically proven effect for your own well-being, write down at least five things before bed that you are sincerely grateful for on any given day. In doing so, you review the past day and consciously focus on the beautiful, valuable and often overlooked moments that enrich life. After a fewTime and regular practice, it becomes easier and easier for the mind to discover numerous small things that are taken for granted, to appreciate them and to anchor them deep in the heart.

The little things of everyday life

Often people mistakenly think they have to be grateful for particularly big and spectacular events, but in truth it is the small, inconspicuous joys of life that make happiness. A delicious meal, radiantly beautiful weather or a pleasantly quiet lunch break already provide ample cause for gratitude and promote inner satisfaction in the here and now.Also the favorite song on the radio on the way home, a safe roof over your head or the loving support of the family deserve this sincere appreciation and conscious perception. Even without keeping a written diary, you can mentally list these things in the evening and feel the warm feeling of gratitude intensely, which sustains the positive moodFirming.

Mindfulness on the go

If the daily time for long and elaborate exercises is missing, the sharpened attention can also be effectively trained during ordinary activities and on the road in stressful everyday life. In the morning, you simply lie down in a warm bed and consciously perceive the soft noises, the morning smells and the pleasant feeling of the blanket on your skin.public transport, you can relax and observe the clouds in the sky and recognize their constantly changing forms, which immediately frees the mind from the inner chaos.

Conscious Perception

The daily food is taken without any distraction from a mobile phone, experiencing the taste, smell and consistency of the food intensely and with all the senses. When walking quickly, you consciously pay attention to the size of the steps and feel the respective surface under your feet, which ideally happens barefoot on natural ground. Even touching everydayObjects with the hands to feel their surface, temperature and texture, trains the senses and brings the mind back into physical reality. The deliberate treading of new, unknown paths opens the eyes to hitherto completely overlooked details in the immediate environment and awakens the childish new to the here and now.

Further paths to inner contemplation

In addition to pure sensory perception, regular meditation and physical exercises such as yoga also help to reset mental focus, reduce stress and feel your own body more deeply. Consistently sorting out unnecessary things from the apartment creates external order and internal clarity, removing unused items that have not been touched for a year without regreta weekly review on a quiet Sunday helps to celebrate past successes, to make sure of one’s own strengths and to face the challenges of the new week in a targeted manner. By regularly and honestly questioning one’s own decisions, one makes conscious choices, enters a state of complete deepening and experiences life as acontinuous, enriching flow.