Be more present. That is a statement that has been used and misused to attract attention a lot these days. You see a lot of social media experts telling you how to do it, why to do it, and how awesome it is when you do it. But being present is difficult when dealing with the challenges of daily life. It is easy to look at social media and feel like a failure. Just like it’s easy to walk into a gym for the first time and feel like a beginner. Social media has made mindfulness another goal to reach. Something else to “win” at.
But mindfulness is not a goal. It is a state of being – you “are” mindful, you don’t “do” mindful. It is also not an either/or situation. You grow in your awareness of yourself, your words and your actions. Being more mindful is not out of the ordinary person’s reach, dealing with work, family, and everything life has in store for you every day.
Being more mindful means something as simple as thinking before you speak. Considering how to act when dealing with people at work or at home. Thinking about how the other person will perceive your words before you respond. These are not difficult things to start doing.
It begins with a desire to improve your relationships. You must want to be a better colleague, employee, boss, family member, or parent. If you have a good enough reason, you will become more aware of how you talk to people and how you act towards them. And that will get you started on the path to mindfulness.