How to Apply Mindfulness to Other Healthy Habits

We all know what we need to do to be healthy.

• Exercise regularly

• Get enough sleep

• Eat nutritious food

Most of us feel like we’re falling short on all of them.

Instead of adding mindfulness to the list, look for ways to apply it to the obstacles related to taking better care of yourself.

Bring mindful awareness to challenging habits.

There are two basic ways to do this.

One is to curiously observe the resistance we feel. The other is to explore the real-time sensory details involved in doing them.

Exercising. Our bodies need to warm up. So do our emotions. Instead of committing to a whole workout, commit to warming up. See if the resistance decreases.

While you’re exercising, periodically savor any pleasant sensations that appear — especially subtle ones.

Sleeping. A paradoxical trick for unwanted alertness is to aim for rest instead of unconsciousness. Pressuring yourself to get to sleep wakes you up more.

Listen for soothing sounds. Soak up settled sensations lurking quietly in the body. Notice how great the eyes feel when they don’t need to make sense of the world. See if savoring any of these sensations evokes new ones.

Eating. Instead of waiting for fruits and vegetables to acquire the kind of marketing donuts enjoy, find the ones you’re most likely to eat and put them where they can’t be ignored.

A bowl of cosmic crisp apples won’t prevent you from ever eating cookies, but making it an easier option might be enough sometimes.

Bringing mindful awareness to anything you eat can be a surprisingly delicious way to practice being present.