“Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.” ― Phaedrus

Mindfulness takes time.

However old you are today, if you have lived a life thus far without actively participating in Mindfulness activities, then you have learned to cope in various other ways. These ways have become habits and habits are hard to break.

The good news is — habits are easy to learn!

Choosing to start today is the first important step. The way you start might be small, it might even be as small as reading this post and looking into what Mindfulness is all about. Whether you decide that the Mindfulness beads we sell here are something you are interested in, or if you decide to craft your own. Or if you simply think they wont work for you, these are all okay choices. It is the intention you hold that creates your reality. If your intention is to be more Mindful, you might be surprised to see how easy that starts to happen.

As you begin to be Mindful in all the different aspects of your life, you may notice that when you started off in one direction, you realize that in the end, what really mattered isn’t what you thought in the first place at all. Mindfulness has a way of guiding us to our true path. You already know what you want, sometimes life just gets in the way!

Stress and anxiety stem from worry and fear. Beginning to be Mindful of your present circumstances can help you answer questions that put those fears to rest — looking at the short-term moments, allowing yourself to let go of the past, or realizing the future is out of our immediate control are all steps in actualizing your current life path. Learning to live in the now and be Mindful of all your acts, even the small ones, can release stress and anxiety.

There are clinical terms for some of the way Mindfulness works — one of these is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The underlying concept behind CBT is that our thoughts and feelings play a fundamental role in our behavior. While the process is slightly different (perhaps more complex) from Mindfulness, the basis is the same. Being aware of where you are at any given moment and choosing to be present in that moment, to acknowledge each thought you have and how it leads to each act you choose, allows you to also be aware of how this will influence what you choose next.

It is important enough to mention again:  be Mindful in your intentions, because your intentions become your reality. What are you focusing your mind on? How do these thoughts serve you or those around you? Do they at all? If so, to what end?

My friend who is a nutritionist says it takes 4-6 weeks to make or break a habit. So be kind with yourself while you begin this process; just stick with it and you’ll make the change you desire.