4 Steps to Getting Started with Mindfulness

Getting started with mindfulness without a proper guide or teacher is complicated. Nevertheless, you can master it with a little discipline and commitment.

Anyone who wants to boost their psychological skills should know the steps to getting started with mindfulness. This discipline is becoming increasingly popular due to its amazing and numerous psychological benefits.

Like any other activity, it requires practice and perseverance to learn to master it. The fact that you don’t see the benefits right away doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

The keys to getting started with mindfulness

The first task you need to accomplish is being able to direct your attention towards yourself. At first, this is a very difficult task.

Nevertheless, certain tricks can make it easier to get started with mindfulness. Below, discover some simple tips to getting started with mindfulness.

1. Choose a place and time

The first step to getting started with mindfulness is choosing a specific place and time of day for the activity. In other words, you need to establish a meditation routine so you don’t have a hard time doing the activity.

As for the place, you should ideally find a quiet space with minimal external noise. In addition, you must make sure there’s a comfortable temperature, humidity, and lighting.

On the other hand, it’s also important to choose the right moment. Avoid doing the activity when you’re very tired, such as first thing in the morning or right before bed. The reason for this is that, if you practice mindfulness while you’re sleepy, you’ll likely end up asleep, which isn’t the goal of the activity.

2. Surround yourself with people who are also learning

Being a beginner in any activity isn’t easy. It’s normal for you to doubt yourself when you’re starting a new activity. You may also not know how to progress and correct mistakes.

This becomes even more complicated if you don’t have people to help you or make recommendations. Getting together with others who are in the same situation is helpful, as you’ll be able to share advice and experiences.

In addition, practicing mindfulness with other people is a good way to keep you motivated. The advantages of practicing mindfulness in a group far outweigh those of doing it on your own.

3. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

Making mistakes is natural and human. It’s not just something that happens to beginners, even experts make mistakes. The difference is that experts recognize and correct their mistake sooner than beginners.

Although nobody likes making mistakes, they’re valuable sources of learning. This way of learning is discovery learning. If you know how to take advantage of it, it can benefit you in many ways.

According to an article published by Valencian International University, active learning is much more meaningful and natural than passive learning. Likewise, discovery learning facilitates creativity and problem-solving strategies.

4. Celebrate every step forward

When you start with mindfulness, you can’t expect to enjoy all its benefits in the first session. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that changes aren’t taking place.

It’s very important to reinforce each step forward you take. This way, you attach importance to each session and boost your self-confidence, which is key to moving forward and overcoming obstacles.

Even the simplest things can be source of reinforcements. In other words, you don’t have to wait for changes to be evident to believe that you’re progressing. You can start by congratulating yourself on being able to do a full session o simply have a positive and open attitude.

These keys can help you get started with mindfulness

Being a beginner is a special moment that people often look down upon. This is because they tend to forget that everyone has to learn the basics first, before mastering any skill.

The key to practicing mindfulness is to be patient, both with yourself and with the activity. This discipline is the opposite of rush and impulsiveness. Therefore, it doesn’t only involve managing the ability to direct attention but about acquiring the values ​​and philosophy that give it value.