1- Mindful mornings - The easy one, you could say. If you’re the kind of person that wakes up with the day’s schedule pressing hard on your mind, this one’s made for you. There’s nothing more stressful than starting the day feeling rushed. Light a candle, take a deep breath and do a quick body scan. Close your eyes, feel your breathing slow down and identify your feelings. Connect with your body bit by bit: lick your lips. Wiggle your toes. Set an intention. Then open your eyes to a perfect start of the day.

2- Mindful eating habits - our connection to food says a great deal about our state of mind: stress-eating or unhealthy eating habits will create an imbalance in your daily flow. So be mindful of not just the food you eat, but your meal as a whole experience. We all know eating behind your desk at work or wolfing down a sandwich on-the-go will do you no good. So, get up, set the table in a way that sparks joy and wholeheartedly savour your food. You’ll notice that making time to nourish yourself will make you want to make better choices.

3- The mindful break - Our favourite. Take a break, a real one, from what you’re doing by undertaking a pleasurable task. Make yourself an uplifting cup of organic coffee in your favourite mug; then bring yourself into that present moment. Feel the cup warming in your hand, the texture of hand-thrown ceramics and inhale the scent of comfort. Take time to name these sensations. In a matter of seconds, you will have given yourself presence and connected to your experience of the world around you.

4- Mindful beauty - Take time to pamper yourself, mindfully of course. Meditate in the shower to reconnect with your body and mind. Listen to the sound of the water flowing and indulge in the smell of soap.

5- Log your progress - Start a journal. Putting your daily thoughts and actions into writing will help you stay in the present moment. Blank pages are great to keep to-do lists and ideas in check. But don’t forget to give yourself some space to wander, doodle and jot down anything that crosses your mind. Keep track of things that went well, compliments you handed out or received. Your journal is not the place to strive for  perfection. It’s the place to get to know yourself  a bit better.

6- Closing the day - Disconnecting from the world after a long day is tempting, but there are other ways to go about it. We’re all for reconnecting. Take time to turn a chore into something mindful. Wash your favourite garment by hand with sustainable homecare.  Feel the warm water on your skin and the joy of taking care of something you love. If you’re alone, make yourself a cup of loose leaf tea and sip on it. Let our mind wander through the day and reflect on it without judgement. Celebrate your successes, acknowledge negative feelings and give them all a place before you close the day.

These small exercises will lead you to a mindful mindset. This is not an exercise, but a conscious choice to do better. Making mindful choices in everything you undertake is about swapping out harmful habits in favour of positive changes. Mindful living encompasses all and more of these little exercises. Resist the automatic. When you challenge your mind and habits every day, you’ll find yourself more present and grounded. Mindfulness is being present, embodied awareness, and feeling a true connection to the world around you.