Enhancing Mindfulness In Your Daily Life

Mastering the What and How Skills

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment, with a non-judgmental awareness of one's thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. The big question is how to integrate mindfulness into your daily routine in an effective way.

One way of implementating this is through the WHAT and HOW skills derived from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Put simply, the WHAT skills focus on what we do during mindfulness and HOW skills focus on how we do mindfulness.

Using the WHAT skill consists of the following:

OBSERVE- This requires attentively noticing both internal and external experiences in the present moment. Deliberately focus on the external bodily sensations you are currently experiencing through your five senses. Alternatively, you can focus internally, by observing your inner thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, while resisting the urge to reject or cling to anything.

DESCRIBE- Describing extends the act of observation by categorizing our experiences as thoughts, feelings, or actions, devoid of judgmental language. Strive to let go of interpretations or personal opinions linked to what arises. Marsha Linehan emphasizes in the DBT manual that if something cannot be observed through your senses, it cannot be accurately described.

PARTICIPATE- Participating involves fully immersing yourself in the present moment and embracing whatever activity you're engaged in. It entails wholeheartedly committing to the task at hand, whether it's washing dishes, dancing, or walking. Remember, there is always opportunity to participate in each moment.

Using the HOW skill consists of the following:

NON-JUDGEMENTALLY- Non-judgmentally is among the more challenging facets of mindfulness, as it contradicts our inherent tendency to label things as either good or bad. Here, the aim is to veer away from such evaluative thinking and instead, acknowledge and embrace each moment as it arises during mindfulness practice. Practice observing your experiences without employing judgmental language. Recognize moments where you find yourself stuck in judgment, release them, and persist in your practice.

ONE-MINDFULLY- Being one mindfully involves remaining fully present and focused on the task at hand. Acknowledge any distractions that arise but avoid becoming attached to them. Even if your mind wanders, gently guide your focus back to the present task. This approach contrasts with multitasking, emphasizing undivided attention and concentration.

EFFECTIVELY: Being effective in a situation entails mindfulness of our objectives and a willingness to prioritize what is most conducive to achieving those goals. Often, this requires engaging in tasks or actions that may not align with our immediate desires. In this case, let's use various skills to help us lean into discomfort and widen our window of tolerance. While undoubtedly challenging, mastering this skill is not only crucial for mindfulness, but for growth as a whole.

This concludes the exploration of the WHAT and HOW skills. I encourage you to experiment with these techniques independently, regardless of whether you're experiencing a good, bad, or average day. And always remember, it's not about achieving perfection; it's about giving your best effort and maintaining an open-minded attitude to recognize and realign when you veer off course.