Mindfulness is a form of meditation that requires intentional focus and attention. It is a way to observe yourself and how you're feeling without judgment.

But where did the practice of mindfulness come from? Before we discuss ways to practice mindfulness, let's learn a bit about the history of practicing mindfulness.

Mindfulness was popularized in the Eastern hemisphere through religious and spiritual practices. Mindfulness is a significant component of Hinduism, Buddhism, yoga, and a number of other ancient practices.

The growing popularity of practicing mindfulness in Western culture is largely attributed to author and professor Jon Kabat Zinn. In the 1970s, he founded an 8-week program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and the results were astonishing.

Participants reported a positive change in their day-to-day moods, relationships, and overall health. Zinn has since made it his mission to popularize mindfulness in the West. He has been met with much success.

Zinn's program has since inspired other popular mindfulness programs such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. The popularization of mindfulness has had a significant positive impact on people who suffer from depression and emotional dysregulation.

Now that we know where practicing mindfulness comes from, let's discuss ways we can implement it in our day-to-day lives.

We discussed that mindfulness is a person’s ability to be fully present and intentionally aware. When someone is being mindful, they are purposefully noticing the way they are interacting with external stimuli.

In other words, mindfulness is a state of intentional focus. So, how can we practice mindfulness on a daily basis?

There are plenty of mindfulness apps out there for beginners who don't know where to start. Some of the best apps for mindfulness include:

• Calm
• Headspace
• Buddhify
• Healthy Minds Program
• Breethe

If you're looking for other ways to incorporate mindfulness into your life, look no further. 

A great way to begin practicing mindfulness is by setting aside ten minutes every day to focus on your breath. Check-in with yourself. Do a body scan, bringing awareness to your toes, fingers, arms, legs, stomach, and chest. It's all about observing internal sensations non-judgementally and bringing awareness to your breath.

For example, standing outside and noticing the warmth of the sunlight as it hits you is an example of practicing mindfulness. To keep it simple, you can practice mindfulness just by focusing on your breath as you breathe in and out. 

Practicing mindfulness for ten minutes every day can have a significant positive impact on your health, mood, and overall quality of life. Keep reading to learn about the health benefits of practicing mindfulness on a daily basis.

So far, we've learned that practicing mindfulness is a cross-cultural technique that has been used for thousands of years in order to quell intrusive thoughts and improve our general well-being. 

Have you ever focused on your breathing and noticed that your mind unintentionally trails off? These thoughts are known as intrusive thoughts. Everybody has them! 

The thing about intrusive thoughts is that they are often associated with some sort of emotional response. For example, maybe an upsetting conversation you had earlier pops into your head. This intrusive thought can affect a negative emotional response. 

That’s where mindfulness comes in! Practicing mindfulness can help you observe intrusive thoughts non-judgementally and achieve a state of calmness. Check out the numerous benefits of practicing mindfulness below:

• Increased emotional regulation
• Reduced anxiety
• Reduced stress
• Decreased depression
• Improved memory
• Improved physical health
• Improved relationships

There you have it! As you can see, practicing mindfulness plays a significant role in our happiness.

Mindfulness has also been proven to help those on spiritual journeys. Keep reading to learn more about mindfulness's role in cultivating a life worth living and finding meaning in life.

Remember when we discussed the origins of mindfulness as a practice? Well, because mindfulness came to fruition in ancient religious practices, mindfulness and spirituality are directly related.

That being said, mindfulness isn't just backed by religion. There are a number of scientific studies in which participants who practiced mindfulness every day reported an increase in spirituality, improved mood, and improved relationships. 

In addition, this reported increase in spirituality coincided with a decrease in stress and stress-related symptoms. People with diagnosed mental illness saw dramatic changes in their mental health. It's safe to say there is a direct correlation between mindfulness, spirituality, and overall health.

To learn more, about the relationship between mindfulness, spirituality, and science click here.

Did you know that any activity can be an opportunity to practice mindfulness? Because mindfulness can be described as an intentional awareness, you can practice mindfulness doing just about anything, as long as you focus on how you're feeling throughout the activity!

A great way to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, especially if you're a busybody, is by mindfully exercising. But how do you mindfully exercise?

I'm glad you asked. An example of mindful exercising is yoga. If you've taken a yoga class before, you know that you're supposed to set an intention for your practice and focus on your breath.

Mindful exercising is just another great way to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life. Keep in mind that you can mindfully exercise in any kind of workout.

For example, if you want to go for a mindful run, all you have to do is intentionally focus on the sensations you are feeling while you run. How do your feet feel while you run? Your legs? Your arms? Your breath?

Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere. All we have to do is practice increasing our focus and awareness. Once we start to practice mindfulness, it becomes much easier to increase our awareness and be in the present moment!

Don't forget that this is all done for a reason. Mindfulness has been scientifically proven to improve your mood, mental and physical health, and overall quality of life.

If you love snacking, this one's for you. Did you know that you can snack or eat mindfully? 

Mindful eating has been scientifically proven to increase fulfillment, gratitude, and general happiness. But how does mindful eating help us feel grateful? And how do we do it?

I'm glad you asked. Mindfulness increases feelings of gratitude because mindful eating helps us intentionally focus on where our food came from, how it was prepared, and how it tastes.

We are much less likely to be grateful for a meal we scarfed down without blinking. We are much more likely to be grateful for a meal that we savored, took our time to eat, and truly enjoyed.

So how does one practice eating mindfully?

A great way to eat mindfully is by looking at your plate before you begin to eat your food and thinking about how all the food ended up on your plate. You can also take small bites and chew slowly, focusing on the flavors and how you feel as you eat.

Recent studies show that those who practice eating mindfully have improved their relationship with food over time. If you suffer from binge eating or don't get enough nutrients in your diet, mindful eating could be a great way to improve your diet and overall health.

There are many more benefits to eating mindfully, including:

• Weight loss
• Increased awareness of hunger
• Increased awareness of fulness
• Reduced overeating
• Reduced stress
• Increased satisfaction with food
• Improved diet

As you can see, there are many benefits to practicing mindfulness while you eat. If you want to have a little fun with it, try taking a bite of a snack, and let it dissolve in your mouth without chewing! 

Practicing mindfulness doesn't have to be a boring chore. You can incorporate mindfulness into any activity you choose.

One of the most significant and scientifically proven benefits of mindfulness is how it can help boost energy levels. Keep reading to learn more about mindfulness and its relationship to productivity and energy.

EarlyBird is an all-natural morning cocktail made especially for people looking to improve their daily habits and overall quality of life. Not only does EarlyBird help keep you focused throughout the day, but it's filled with hydrating and energizing electrolytes. EarlyBird contains a unique blend of green coffee bean extract, antioxidants, L-Theanine, and L-Tyrosine. Not only does this healthful and all-natural blend help wake you up in the morning, but it keeps you feeling awake and alert all day without crashing. In addition, EarlyBird contains zero grams of sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. That’s why it’s my personal favorite lifehack for being my most mindful self every day.

Drinking EarlyBird is a great way to motivate yourself to practice mindfulness every day. If you have trouble implementing mindfulness into your daily life, EarlyBird can help you kickstart this process.