When we practice mindfulness meditation we choose to place our attention and focus on our breath.
Other things may be present in the moment around us and within us (thoughts, sensations, sounds, etc), but we choose to keep our focus on our breath.
We don’t have to fight with those “distractions.”
We can just allow them, notice them, witness them.
And then choose to bring our focus back to our breath.
How might selective focus help you in other areas of your life?
Join me for weekly mindfulness!
In addition to these Mindful Moments, I also host a mindfulness group called Mindful Creators every Wednesday on Zoom. The practices are recorded and emailed out the same day, so even if you can’t make it live, you can still enjoy some guided mindfulness.
Audio Transcript
Welcome to your mindful moment.
Go ahead and find a comfortable position for your body, and start to focus on the sensations that you experience as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
And as you start to focus on your breath and whatever that experience is like for you today, go ahead and allow your body to relax further and further, more and more with each breath.
And as you witness each inhale and each exhale, see if you can notice what it feels like in your body when you breathe.
So notice how your body moves as you take an inhale.
And notice how your body moves as you release an exhale.
Just noticing your unique breath cycle and the impact that it has on your unique body.
And as you notice the sensations that you experience as you breathe, also start to notice the overall general effect of breathing on your body.
Because maybe you're starting to feel more relaxed.
Maybe you're starting to feel just a little bit more calm in body and mind.
And it's nice to notice what your breath is capable of doing for your body.
And of course, as you witness your breath and focus on that experience, there may be other things present in your present moment.
There may be sounds.
There may be thoughts or moods happening in your mind.
And you don't need to fight with any of those.
You can just notice them, and gently choose to bring your focus back to your breath.
Anything that you notice within you and around you is just part of your present moment experience.
And it's good to notice what's happening in the present moment.
That's mindfulness.
And the practice of mindfulness that we're doing here today is just about noticing any distracting thoughts or sounds around you, and then choosing to just let those be there while you bring your attention and your focus back to your breath.
Right now, you're choosing where to place your focus.
You're practicing selective focus.
And that practice is going to serve you in the rest of your life.
You're going to be able to notice and witness and become aware of thoughts in your mind, distracting things around you maybe, and then choose whether you want to stay engaged with those things or if you want to lovingly and gently shift your focus to something that serves you better.
That's the practice of mindfulness.
Just noticing and witnessing and practicing your awareness and your focus.
And now I'm going to bring this mindful moment to a close, but as always, please feel free to remain in mindful meditation for as long as you like.
Have a great day.
I’m Amy Schloerb, The Aligned Actor 👋
I’m a life coach and mindfulness practitioner helping people align with their true selves and take inspired action to create a life they love. With my background in acting, I bring presence, connection, and playfulness to transformation.
Let’s align, create, and make amazing things happen—together!
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