The power and beauty of mindfulness; experiencing physical and mental euphoria
Why do we crave an escape into paradise; yearning to feel the sand in between our toes, and the sun on our face? We do it, to escape. To take a break from the monotony of daily life, to refresh, restore, and re-energize so that we can go back to our routines with a clear mind, feeling inspired and ready to start again.
However, even though we might be physically somewhere different, mentally the thoughts experienced at home, can follow us to the heavenly environment we are situated in. That is why it is so important to not just focus on our physical environment, but also prioritize our state of mind. It is the duality of both, our physical setting, and mental state, that will contribute to the positive outcomes of a vacation. Taking a break from routine is easy, it’s taking a break from our thoughts and anxieties which is the difficult part. That is why practicing mindfulness and processing our thoughts and emotions is so important. It allows us to connect and experience the world in a deeper, more observant way.
When deliberating on how to be mindful, firstly we should look at what being mindful means. It is defined by the American Psychological Association, 2012 as, “a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment. In this sense, mindfulness is a state and not a trait.” It requires the focusing and awareness of mental processes through conscious control, to reawaken oneself in the present, which in turn allows for greater mental well-being and emotional regulation. There are many benefits to mindfulness, with studies showing that it can reduce ruminating thoughts, stress and anxiety, and promote working memory, focus, relationship satisfaction, and overall health.
To fully immerse yourself in your luxury getaway, practicing mindfulness is a great way to slow down and relish in the surrounding paradise. You can reconnect with your senses to better understand and enjoy the enveloping world.
Being mindful can seem like a foreign concept. However, noticing and accepting your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations is an important way to explore and understand your emotional state. It is through this exploration, that responses can be understood and addressed. Practicing mindfulness does not involve uprooting and changing your vacation plans, it involves being present in the moment whilst appreciating the surrounding oasis, and you can start as soon as your feet touch the white sandy beaches.
Forget the checklist and be present
When we go away, it is easy to get carried away making plans and schedules, wanting to make the most of every second. However, sometimes making the most of every second, can be as simple as appreciating that second, focusing on the energies around you. How does the sand in between your toes feel? How does the sun feel on your face? What emotions are invoked as you process these sensations?
Distracting yourself with activities and plans is an easy way to let the holiday run away from you, but a vacation is more than plans and schedules, it is also a feeling from within, and these feelings need to be acknowledged during your journey towards a more mindful and accepting existence.
Unplug and digitally disconnect
We live in a digital world, with global communication at our fingertips. We are absorbed by the ease of technology; it hypnotizes us and we get sucked into hours of responding to texts, emails, and scrolling. The problem with this is that it takes us away from our physiological feelings and emotions, numbing us to our surroundings. Therefore, take a break from the digital world and immerse yourself in the physical. Leave your phone in your room, put it on airplane mode, and resist the urge to take so many photos. When you slip into the digital world, a barrier is created between you and the natural world. Therefore, be present, look at the imagery of the world around you, not the digital one constructed by a screen.
Indulge and treat yourself
When you’re on holiday, treat it like one and listen to your body. If you want to grab a bite to eat, have a drink, swim in the sea, do it. This is your time to listen to your body’s needs and respond. Over time we become accustomed to a routine, and this routine drives our behaviors. When you are away you have the opportunity to change this, enriching yourself in a momentous experience. Therefore, go with your instinct, listen to your bodily demands and respond. You can only enjoy a luxury vacation if you are in a luxury mindset.
Meditate
Vacations allow you to take time for yourself and escape from the pressures of day-to-day life, whilst meditation helps promote personal awareness of sensory stimulations. The pairing of these two abstractions together are therefore revolutionary for your mind and body. So take the time to listen to the things around you; your breathing, the crashing waves, the breeze through the palm trees, and the birds chirping in the trees. Then connect these sounds, and process how they make you feel; allow yourself to slip and dissolve into the surrounding utopia.
These are just some of the ways you can practice mindfulness when you are away. To fully appreciate the world around us, and the blissful environments we are in, we must appreciate things from both within and outside our bodies. There is no point escaping to an exotic paradise to spend time in bodily auto-pilot, with no attention being paid to how we are feeling, or processing how our mind and bodies are responding to this new environment. We are creatures of emotion, and it is so easy to slip into the fast lane of a fast world without recognizing this emotion and drift through our existence. We need to reawaken ourselves to every moment and sensation to truly exist. Regardless of the reasoning for needing a break, make sure you maximise your experience, and intensify your relaxation. By soaking up the new environment, and appreciating the bodily effects that it can have, your experience will be enhanced, and you will understand yourself and your emotional reactions more deeply. Through the process of being mindful, you can ensure that you feel truly revitalized, slipping into mental and physical euphoria.