What comes to mind when you hear the word – mindfulness? If your first thought was isolating yourself from the world, chanting affirmations on a loop, or meditating in the mountains, let us stop you right there. You don’t need to do any of that.

Mindfulness is nothing but a state of mind where you focus completely on the present, slow down, and become fully aware of where you are and what you are doing. It is a superpower you already have. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, you can practice mindfulness in everything you do from opening a door, tying your shoelaces, drinking your cup of tea, listening to music, taking a walk, or even waiting in a queue at a grocery store.

What you are going to learn today are three simple exercises that will give you a taste of what mindfulness is all about.

Is your mind full? Or are you mindful? Let’s test it out.

Exercise 1: Mindful Eating or The 5-Minute Raisin Test

Want to start practicing mindfulness? Start with a tiny raisin. There is nothing better than this simple 5-minute raisin exercise to begin your mindfulness journey.

Inspired by Buddhist teachings, legendary American professor Jon Kabat-Zinn developed this technique as part of his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Also known as raisin meditation, many global therapists and mindfulness practitioners advocate it today. This grounding exercise helps you eat mindfully and also works to reduce stress. 

In our own experience, practicing has helped people enjoy a raisin like never before. 

Five minutes is all it takes. Be completely present. Don’t let anything distract you. 

Steps to follow: 

1. Hold a raisin in your palm or between your fingers.
2. Observe its color, ridges, folds, and distinct features.
3. Feel its texture between your fingers. Close your eyes if you must. 
4. Hold it close to your nose and smell it. Register the aroma.
5. Gently place the raisin in your mouth. Don’t bite. Explore it with your tongue. 
6. Chew the raisin slowly. Don’t swallow. Let the juices flow through your palate.
7. As you experience the raisin in touch, smell, and taste – swallow it. Reflect on how you feel. Do this well. 

Exercise 2: Mindful Shower

The next step to deepening your mindfulness meditation practice is incorporating it into your daily routine. Don’t know where to begin? Right in your shower.

Everyone who loves a good shower can vouch that these are therapeutic. An even more powerful way to amplify this power is to add a pinch of mindfulness. 

Don’t merely jet-set your way through it. Let the distractions go and use this time to focus solely on YOU.

Reflect on how you think and feel with every step. Observe how your thoughts change. 

 

Steps to follow:

1. Listen to the sound of the water hitting the floor. Slowly step into the shower. 
2. Feel every drop of water touching your head and cascading down your body. 
3. Notice the temperature, the rhythmic flow, and the droplets on your skin. 
4. Soap your body and breathe in its fragrance. 
5. Remind yourself how precious your body is as you scrub it gently.
6. Take 10 deep breaths and relax.
7. Once done, rinse your body slowly. 
8. Visualize yourself washing away your anxieties, sadness, and worries. 
9. Watch the negative thoughts flow down the drain. 
10. Reflect on how you feel. Offer gratitude for a clean body. 

Exercise 3: Mindful Self Appreciation

Most of us spend the better part of our lives seeking validation and appreciation from those around us. This next mindfulness exercise serves as a reminder that you need to give yourself credit when it is due. Believe it or not, you are your own harshest critic at most times.

While you may find it weird at first, don’t think of it as selfish or self-indulgent. It is one of the most powerful practices that can create a mind shift. Many of our clients have experienced it first hand. Appreciating yourself is one of the purest forms of self-care.

Steps to follow:

1. Find a quiet corner of the home.
2. Grab a pen or paper or open your voice recorder on your phone.
3. Think deeply. Record or write down five things you love about yourself.
4. Read or listen to it over and over again.
5. Whenever in doubt or experiencing a day where you feel unloved or underappreciated, revisit these notes and recordings.
6. Even if you don’t have anyone else, you will always have YOU cheering you.
7. Reflect on how you feel. Do it mindfully.

Did these exercises help you? Let us know in the comments section.

---

ALSO READ: 21 Ways To Practice Self Care

---

Over the last year, we have coached more than 3,000 plus people through our 29 Days of Mindfulness Program with Luke Coutinho FREE of cost.

We are now at the cusp of making this a global movement. And you can be a part of this journey. Join our program here. Check out our mindfulness meditation playlist here.

Whether you are a school-going kid, teenager, working professional, CEO, businessperson, homemaker, or senior citizen – you can learn this and transform your life with mindfulness. Learn more about how it helped change lives here.