Aileen Asks Ron R. Lacson, Certified Mindfulness Practitioner

Practicing mindfulness in our daily lives is not difficult. There are a few things we can incorporate in our regular activities to help us lessen the unwanted anxiety.

When we eat, be mindful of what we eat
Pay attention to the taste, the texture, the colour, the shape of what we are eating. ENJOY our meal with all our hearts. Avoid looking at our cell phone when we are eating; put it away. Avoid 'gossiping' and 'telenovelas' while eating.

This will train us to be mindful of other regular things that we do in life. This will teach us to be present at the moment, every moment. This will help us not to be anxious about irrelevant things in life. Do this from time to time only, not every meal. We do not like silent meals every time; we also need other people to share our mealtime. 

Do meditation

We do not mean going into a trance or sitting the whole day while running away from reality. Meditation is a simple act of giving ourselves the moments to focus on something around us; usually, it is our breath. We may sit down for 5 minutes (even standing will do as long as you are alone or in a private place).

We can close our eyes and then concentrate on breathing, being mindful of the rise and fall of our stomach, or being mindful of the air that goes in and out of our nostrils. Again, this exercise will train us to be present and be aware of our present moments.

Have enough sleep

Sufficient rest and good physical wellbeing are excellent contributors to being relaxed and balanced in our life disposition. An excellent sleep can produce strong minds that can make wise decisions and reduce anxiety. Try not to engage in social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) late at night before you sleep. Sometimes, these are factors for not having enough sleep or for not having good/peaceful sleep.

Eat nutritious food

As much as possible, stay away from alcohol, caffeine, too sweet desserts, and soda. These are not healthy food. Avoid smoking too. If we are serious about avoiding or reducing anxiety, we must get rid of them in our lives and eat more nutritious food.

Laugh a lot

Read jokes or listen to them. We can even laugh at ourselves sometimes. Spend time with happy, laughing friends and family. Surround yourself with people who have a positive approach in life. 

Be Thankful always

Count your blessings. There is still something to be grateful every day. When we wake up in the morning, it's already a gift, be thankful. Even reading this write-up here is something to be grateful for because you now realize that you have the desire and the ability to learn new things.