I’ve read many articles and books over the years about the power of mindfulness and how to access the present moment. In fact, my latest newsletter was on the same topic. I came across this article from Psychology Today, which originally appeared in October of 2008 and remains very relevant. The author includes great examples of each of the six steps. My favorite is the excerpt from Eat, Pray, Love a memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, which is used to exemplify the second step, SAVOR:
Gilbert writes about a friend who, whenever she sees a beautiful place, exclaims in a near panic, “It’s so beautiful here! I want to come back here someday!” “It takes all my persuasive powers,” writes Gilbert, “to try to convince her that she is already here.
The other steps outlined by the author include: unselfconsciousness, breathe, flow, acceptance, engagement.
She also highlights the direct relationship between mindfulness and the expression of anger or aggressiveness, explaining that being in the present moment diminishes the power of the ego. So people are less likely to link the outcome of events to their self-worth and more likely to process situations at face value.
For an in-depth explanation of all of these steps, I highly recommend reading the article in its entirety. I have provided a link below. Enjoy!
