Science aside, it doesn’t hurt to also consider the anecdotal evidence. “People report more connection, gratitude, and appreciation of life when they practice mindfulness,” Winston says. It can also help you manage difficult emotions and cultivate positive ones, like kindness, she adds.
There’s no universal definition of mindfulness, either, but experts generally agree that it’s all about focusing on the present moment with openness and without judgment. “If you check in on your mind at any point during the day, you’ll probably notice you’re thinking about the past or future, or you’re generally planning, obsessing, worrying, or catastrophizing,” Winston says. And so, “mindfulness is getting in the practice of pulling our minds away from these places to come back to the present moment.”
How to meditate if you’re completely new to the concept
If you want to incorporate this self-care ritual into your life, here’s a beginner-friendly, step-by-step guide to get you started.
1. Find a cozy spot and get into a comfortable position.
“Many people think you have to sit in a certain way, like cross-legged on the floor, which is absolutely not true,” Winston says. All that matters is that you’re in a relatively quiet and distraction-free place where your mind and body feel at ease.
“You can sit in a chair. You can sit on the couch. You can lie down,” Winston says. Just make sure you’re relaxed “in a comfortable position where you won’t be disturbed [so that you can] bring your attention to your body.”
2. Really focus on your breathing.
You probably don’t give much thought to how you inhale and exhale as you’re going about your day. But while you’re sitting in your favorite armchair, say, or sprawled across a yoga mat in your backyard, “see if you can notice your body breathing,” Winston says. Maybe you feel your chest rising up and down, or the air moving through your nose. Then, pick a spot in your environment to focus your gaze on and stay with it, as you continue tuning into your breath.
Try doing that for even just five minutes a day. It may sound too easy, but this little exercise might be all you need to incorporate a fulfilling meditation routine into your life, Winston says.
3. Pay close attention to your thoughts.
The goal of meditation isn’t a completely blank mind. “It isn’t about turning off thoughts but rather learning to meet them with awareness and curiosity,” Laurasia Mattingly, a certified meditation and mindfulness teacher based in Los Angeles and the author of Meditations on Self-Love: Daily Wisdom For Healing, Acceptance, and Joy, tells SELF. But you don’t have to keep absolute focus, either. The key, instead, is simply noticing.
