Mindfulness explained: How to find a calmer, happier you

When we think about mindfulness, we might conjure images of sitting crossed-legged, eyes closed, meditating in a cloud of incense. But, it is so much more than that, experts tell us.

A common mindfulness misconception is that it’s all about clearing your mind of any unwanted thoughts, explains Nicole Vignola, neuroscientist and author of Rewire: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change.

“We can’t really clear our minds,” she tells Vitality Magazine. “Mindfulness is about not attaching yourself to any specific thought.” It’s more about “paying attention to the present moment and making intentional decisions”. Another way to think about mindfulness is that it’s "meditation in action”, adds Headspace’s International Engagement Manager, Henrietta Kennedy.

“By becoming more aware of your thoughts, emotions and behaviours, you can actively steer your life in the direction you desire and overcome negative narratives and subconscious behaviours that no longer serve you,” says Vignola.

Switch off autopilot

Ultimately, then, being mindful means not going through our daily lives on autopilot. In this mode, subliminal patterns and unconscious habits tend to take hold of our actions.

With 63% of people in the UK stressed at least weekly, incorporating mindfulness into our lives can be a simple, yet effective tool to have in our wellbeing toolkit; and one that can enable us to better navigate the inevitable storms life throws our way.

So, where can those of us who are mindfulness novices begin? An easy way to be more mindful is by bringing awareness to everyday tasks we do on a regular basis, like brushing our teeth or eating.

“When we eat, how much of our attention do we pay to this task?”

Silvia Cordoba, Vitality’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Coach

She suggests thinking about how we could bring more awareness to eating by noticing “the flavours and textures of our food, the temperature of it, how we are feeling in that moment.”

Here comes the science…

From a neuroscience perspective, practising mindfulness can have a profound impact not just on our lives, but also on our brain. As well as enabling us to deal better with stressful scenarios through thought regulation, incorporating such practices into our day can also actually change the structure of our brain, explains Kennedy.

In fact, mindfulness practices have been shown to lead to changes “found in areas of the brain associated with learning, emotional and memory processing, as well as self-awareness and self-regulation”, she says.

Alongside building emotional intelligence, it is associated with an increase in grey matter in the areas of our brain that we use for learning and storing information.

“Mindfulness also improves cognitive flexibility by improving our ability to switch from various states, such as sad to neutral and stressed to calm,” adds Vignola.

Want to try some mindfulness for yourself? Tune into Vitality Coach and mental health expert Silvia Cordoba’s session for a 5-minute wind down here.

Slow it down

Kennedy suggests starting the day with mindfulness, to help set the tone for the day. “Rather than jumping out of bed, pause long enough for three whole breaths to pass naturally. It will only take a few seconds.”

Kennedy also encourages us to finish our day with some mindfulness by taking a moment to reflect on and appreciate something good that has happened in our day before we go to bed.

“It may sound a bit cliché,” she says. “But it feels really nice and immediately brings the mind into the present, even if we are thinking about something from the past.”

It's also important to remember that life is sometimes difficult and that this is unavoidable. “Whilst we can’t control what happens, we do have the potential to transform the way in which we relate to those things," concludes Kennedy.

"Having awareness and understanding our own mind can help us cut through the confusion."

Dr Rosie Godeseth’s top 5 tips

• Start small – Begin with short sessions, five minutes a day
• Schedule it – Set a time each day for your practices
• Create a dedicated space – Designate a quiet, comfortable spot
• Use reminders – Set alarms or notifications to remind yourself
• Incorporate into daily activities – Integrate mindfulness into everyday tasks

Related: ‘I tried mindfulness for a month...’