Mindfulness is a non-reactive state of awareness. Being mindful means knowing “who” you are and “how” you feel right now.

When you react and get triggered, you are caught up in the past and have not resolved your hurt issues. Most people live life by blaming others, the economy or something else that is external to themselves as the cause of their pain instead of taking responsibility for what they created. Have you ever met someone who only talks about what happened ten years ago? This is an example of unresolved issues and a fear of letting go of the past.

Living mindfully enables you to live more authentically by accepting how you feel and what you think as it happens. Mindfulness is not automatic, though, and it’s a process to resolve the past and resolve emotional situations. Fear is a state of mind, as is peace and love. To change the world, you must first change yourself. Living from a place of authenticity and full of self-love is the greatest gift you can give yourself.

Without Judgment

Judgment is interesting because we are taught about “right” and “wrong” early in life, which causes us to view life through judgment. You tend to criticize everything, and mostly, you criticize yourself. You feel the need to be perfect to deserve love. A past belief stems from two life patterns of “doing something wrong” and “I’m not enough” patterns. You then go through life believing you are broken and unworthy of love.

To elevate your consciousness and experience the benefits of mindfulness, you want to examine your relationship with yourself. It’s you that is most important in your life. Slow down and come back to you—the powerful inner self is where all the answers to all the questions are and is your most powerful ally.

6 Mindful Actions

Step 1: Relate experiences using the pronoun “me” or “I” instead of “you.”

Step 2: Examine how you feel right now. Be in the moment, in this hour and even in this minute. Are you feeling hurt, sad, fearful or loving, happy and blissful?

Step 3: Stay neutral while you experience life.

Step 4: Take responsibility for your actions without blaming others.

Step 5: Love yourself, including the angry and unhappy you.

Step 6: Choose happiness every morning—no matter what.