TOP 10 TIPS FOR BEING PRETTY MINDFUL

nurture your thoughts

mindfulness, the art of fully attending your mind to what is happening and what you are currently doing. our minds so often wanders, usually to thoughts of worry and stress that can result in anxious feelings.  bringing our minds back to the present moment allows us to focus and stop thoughts and emotions that have a toxic effect on our lives.

a mouthful we know ladies, but it is simply a moment-to-moment awareness. it is about nurturing our ability to pay attention in the present moment and develop non-judgemental, kind and curious thoughts.

these are our favourite pretty tips for practicing mindfulness:

1. limit distractions.

turn off social media notifications. urgent things will usually come on whatsapp and email. but you can choose when to look at your social media.

2. silence 

when you’re doing an activity like walking, designate part of the time to be in silence by yourself, simply aware of sights and sounds.

3. pay attention.

pay attention to your people’s facial expressions when you’re talking to them. if you're fully present and aware of how people are reacting to your words, you'll be more able to facilitate good communication.

 4. be curious.

ask questions. when in a new place, stop trying to get the best Instagram photos. read the signs, ask the guide questions that would normally never interest you. you might even learn something interesting.

5. notice the impact you have on other people.

sincerely appreciate compliments and show gratitude when someone takes the time out of their day to say something nice to you.

6. pay attention to your internal environment ...

pay attention to what is going on with your body. when you first wake up, notice and respect how your body feels today.

7. ... and to your external environment.

tune into your senses and what they’re picking up—the coolness of the wind, the greenness of the grass, the energy of the people around you.

8. relate to your pain and discomfort.

pain can be a message that something is wrong. listen to your body; treat your pain as a messenger and do what you need to do to take care of yourself.

9. sit down.

take the time to sit down to have your meals. you’re less likely to appreciate your food when you are multi-tasking. it’s also difficult to keep track of how much you are eating when you snack on the go.

10. don’t skip the stretch.

in case you forgot to practice the tips above during the day, your before bed stretch is the perfect opportunity to remind yourself. stretch slowly and with intention and reward yourself with some well-deserved TLC.

XX MOVEPRETTY