Life never remains the same for anyone; it is filled with various ups and downs, constant struggles and challenges. Most of the time, we get caught up in these struggles and forget to pay attention to our wellbeing. A healthy and positive mindset is also an essential part of prosperity. Our mindset determines how we navigate through life and how successful we become in managing our relationships, career and other aspects. However, remaining positive and focused all the time is not an easy thing; you have to exercise your brain a lot and hardwire it to think positively.
The importance of mindfulness cannot be ignored when we talk about positive thoughts. It is the most powerful tool we can use to generate peace of mind and happiness in life. People hear about mindfulness a lot these days but are mostly unaware about the way it can be practiced routinely. Here, we have come up some easy mindful exercises that you can practice and incorporate in your daily lifestyle very quickly.

1. BREATHING EXERCISES:

Have you ever noticed that how your breathing changes when a stressful thought comes to your mind? Your heartbeat becomes fast and shallow. Our pulse naturally increases when we have an upsetting thought in our mind or when we go through any tense situation. With slow and mindful breathing, you can change this. Create a regular practice of breathing slowly for five to ten minutes a day; breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. Keep all your awareness and attention to your breath and let go any negative thoughts can come in your mind.
2. WRITE IT OUT

Writing is a powerful tool to release any thoughts on paper; either good or bad. Putting your thoughts on a journal will let you be aware of your negative thinking patterns too. Make it a habit of putting your thoughts in a diary in the morning before starting the day and at night before going to sleep.

3. PRACTICE DAILY TASKS MINDFULLY

Whether you are washing your hands, taking a shower, washing dishes, exercising, or anything else, keep your awareness entirely on the task at hand. We tend to ignore the joy little and mundane things in life bring; this simple exercise will teach you to treasure the little things in life.

4. MEDITATE REGULARLY

Meditation is the most popular mindfulness technique. You can mediate will lying down on your back or sitting up straight with your eyes closed. Imagine yourself in a peaceful place and start focusing on your breath. With each breath let positive thoughts in and with each exhalation, release out the negative emotions and feelings.

5. MINDFUL BODY SCAN
The body scan is an exercise that releases tension from your whole body. Being in constant stress takes its toll on our body; our muscles become stiff and tensed. The body scan is an excellent way to let go of all the tension in your body. You can perform the body scan the following way:
I. Lie down on your back.
II. Imagine that light is entering your body through your feet and this light is taking away all the tension in your feet.
III. From feet, this light is making its way up to your shins, thighs, pelvis, stomach, chest, spine, ribs, shoulders, arms, neck all the way up to the back of your head, forehead, and eyes.
IV. As this light enters different parts of your body, it takes away the stress stored in those parts.
V. Finally, feel the light exiting your body taking away all the stress with it and slowly open your eyes.

6. USE YOUR SENSES

This exercise helps you practice your five senses more mindfully. Start by looking at any object in your close vicinity. Observe the object, see its color and notice how many shades there are, see its shape and contours. Next, try to hear any nearby sounds; it could be the sound of the fan, the sound of chirping of birds, or any sound that you can listen. After hearing, slowly shift your attention to your sense of smell. Try to sense any smell and bring your total attention to it. Finally, bring your awareness to the sense of touch. Feel the sensation of clothes touching against your body or the feeling of your feet against the floor. You can also pick up any object and feel its texture.

7. TRY MINDFUL COLORING

There are a lot of adult coloring books in the market these days. Coloring has shown to improve concentration while also relieving stress, anxiety, and tension. Any hobby or task that involves your full focus and attention is a mindful task and coloring is one of them.
Incorporate these mindful habits and exercises in your lifestyle and see how much difference they make towards your happiness and peace of mind.