Learning to be mindful is a very powerful tool. It can help you control your mental chatter and find tranquility, which can be useful in unblocking your creative self. It will take you of “autopilot” and help you become more present, so you won’t be as likely to miss out on any creative opportunity.

Below are some mindfulness activities to help you become more mindful in all you do. Your mind may wander during the exercises, that is okay just gently bring it back.

Mindful eating

Eat slowly, giving your full attention to each piece of food. Think about your food, how does it look, smell, how do you cut it, what muscles do you use to chew it, what texture does it have, how does it taste? Be fully present and engrossed in the experience.

Mindfulness eating will not only bring your awareness to your food in a new way, it can also be enjoyable and is good for the digestive system.

Mindful listening

This is a simple exercise that can open your awareness to a whole new level of creative thinking.

More often than not we are surrounded by so many background noises that for the most part we are not even aware of them. They are an invisible unheard backdrop to our entire lives.

This activity invites you to notice the sounds around you: the birds outside, the humming of the furnace, the computer, the clock ticking, the car driving by. All of the little background sounds that we don’t usually give any attention to. Don’t analyze the sounds you hear, just experience them.

What do you hear? Did you notice that sound before? Did you learn anything new about your environment?