The timer rings, and we spring up from our meditation cushion to get dressed as we plan the day’s events.

We all want the same from meditation: to show up, sit down for ten minutes, and let the rest of our lives be transformed.

The harsh reality is that we’ll never progress or use meditation effectively if we see it this way.

Showing up and doing the practice daily puts you ahead of 99% of people, but it’s still not enough if you want the practice to be transformative.

For mindfulness to change your life, you must be active, not passive.

Your formal sitting practice creates stable conditions for cultivating mindfulness, but the goal is not to get good sitting in meditation.

The goal is to cultivate mindfulness and become calmer, more composed, aware, and open in our daily lives.

This makes a real difference to our quality of life: we spend most of our time embracing the flow of life in each moment.

It's a two-way street.

Why do people go to the gym? Some want to get stronger, and some want to look better. It all depends, but most people want to be fitter and more functional.

They do this not for the sake of it but so they can move through life more comfortably, play with their kids, and enjoy the benefits of sports.

Meditation is like your gym, and mindfulness is like your fitness.

The more we go to the gym, the better and more proficient we will become in carrying out tasks that benefit from increased fitness.

Similarly, the more we practice mindfulness meditation, the more proficient we will become in tasks that benefit from increased mindful awareness.

The magic is that every task you can possibly imagine benefits from mindfulness.

It’s a two-way street; the more you practice mindfulness daily, the easier your meditation practice will become.

And you guessed it, the more you engage in formal sitting practice, the easier mindful living will become. It’s a win-win situation.

Use the mindfulness toolkit.

In recent weeks, we’ve covered two simple but incredibly powerful approaches to preparing your mind for meditation and handling mind wandering.

The real power of these tools lies in their simplicity and versatility. They can be used as effectively off the meditation cushion as they can on it.

The ROLL Method

Commit this guidance in this post to memory, and you’ll be equipped to ground yourself in the present moment, no matter where you are-whether sitting on the train, in a meeting or dining out with friends.

Sometimes, our environments can get the better of us, and sensory overload can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety.

However, incorporating this approach from your meditation practice into your daily life can help ground you. Remember to relax, observe, look for joy, and let go.

The AARC Approach

Despite the undeniable benefits that mindfulness can provide for our sense of well-being and relationships with others, it can also increase our ability to focus.

All that time spent on the meditation cushion directing our attention at a single focus means we can do the same with meaningful projects.

The biggest problem we encounter is losing focus and thinking about something else or getting distracted.

Just as in meditation, we can sometimes become frustrated with ourselves when we realise we got sidetracked.

However, because we’ve become so familiar with the method outlined in the post above, we have a reliable strategy for returning to the centre.

Whether you’re replying to emails, planning lessons, or writing a song, you can simply. This brings you back from moments of distraction.

The more frequently you do this, as in meditation, the shorter those periods of distraction will become.

Bring it all together.

As we endeavour to live more mindfully, the two approaches outlined above will make your life much easier in the coming weeks. Just remember this advice:

The “ROLL” Method: Use this to ground and centre yourself before consciously choosing to engage in a mindful activity.

The AARC Approach: When you notice your attention has drifted, use this approach to compassionately bring yourself back to the centre of mindful awareness.

You can do any of the mindful living practices from the coming weeks however you choose, but I wouldn’t recommend diving into them all simultaneously.

It may feel unnatural, and your mind may not be used to having so much space.

I suggest practising one for a week to a month and then introducing another once you have managed the first one consistently.

Remember that these are just guidelines; it’s best to do whatever feels right for your lifestyle.

Enough for today.