Are you fully aware of what you see, hear, taste, smell, and feel (your senses) in an instant as you sit quietly or stand where you are?

How often do you pause what you’re doing to pay attention to every nuance in your body?

“Hang on while I try and guess which nostril sucks in colder air, the left or right.”

Attention to sensations, body emotions, experiences and thoughts are examples of your inside-world focus (the stuff in your head).

Consider the practice of Creative Mindfulness.

Mindfulness teaches you how to handle ‘brain clutter’ by focusing on the here and now as you develop a healthier relationship with thoughts and feelings. That state of being fully present in whatever you are feeling.

You aim to accept the current reality of your situation as ‘it is what it is.’ Being in a mindset of acceptance is essential to be fully present.

Being present heightens your awareness of body sensations.

Ok, so I’m anxious… now what? How can I not be anxious and reframe my response to be more positive and accepting?

If you’re worried, then instead of fighting your anxious feelings and thoughts, be fully present in them.

This way, you acknowledge your internal state (anxiety).

Awareness is the first step to resolving tension. ” Okay, I’m nervous about something; now what?”

Let the feelings parse through your soul. The sooner you do, the sooner that funky emotion dissipates. Imagine the sensation swooshing through your body and out your backside (like a glorious fart).

I had it temporarily, and now it’s gone!

By not resisting, you conserve energy and experience negative bullshit (anxiety) fading away.

Consider the practice of Creative Mindfulness.

Mindfulness teaches you how to handle ‘brain clutter’ by focusing on the here and now as you develop a healthier relationship with thoughts and feelings. That state of being fully present in whatever you are feeling.

You aim to accept the current reality of your situation as ‘it is what it is.’ Being in a mindset of acceptance is essential to be fully present.

Being present heightens your awareness of body sensations.

Ok, so I’m anxious… now what? How can I not be worried and reframe my response to be more positive and accepting?

If you’re worried, then instead of fighting your anxious feelings and thoughts, be fully present in them.

This way, you acknowledge your internal state (anxiety).

Awareness is the first step to resolving tension. ” Okay, I’m nervous about something; now what?”

Let the feelings parse through your soul. The sooner you do, the sooner that funky emotion dissipates. Imagine the sensation swooshing through your body and out your backside (like a glorious fart).

I had it temporarily, and now it’s gone!

By not resisting, you conserve energy and experience negative bullshit (anxiety) fading away.

Manage your energy.

That is to say, you don’t overreact and are not overwhelmed by what’s happening around you.

Yes, this is way easier said than done. If you cut me off on my bike, I’ll freak out and yell. But when I objectively look back at the situation, I laugh and wonder why I didn’t choose a healthier response.

Had I mastered the art of being Mindful, I would not have exerted such negative energy.

So it’s all about managing your energy. — which comes in handy as you age.

Chances are your anxiety is related to thinking about something in the past or the future.

Can you shift to the present?

You can’t THINK negative stuff when concentrating on your breathing, the beauty of the sun, or the feeling in your left toe.

So get the negative kaka (poop) out of your head, and focus on good vibes and calm body sensations.

For instance, I fear missing an upcoming flight to Bangladesh. I’ll freak out and be super anxious because I’ll worry that I won’t get there on time to meet my partner, whom I haven’t seen in months.

Then I assume I’ll end up cabbing it back home (waste money) and have to catch a flight later that week. I’ll picture myself fighting the airline to get my money back… bla bla bla

So what! Yeah, it’s a huge inconvenience, but I’m alive and well, unlike the guy in Ukraine defending his country against Russia or the starving kid in a refugee camp somewhere.

I’m trivializing my flight dilemma and need perspective, man! My situation is not dire, and there’s always a solution.

Who’s in control of your emotions, you or the airline company? Don’t let fu*k-turds control your feelings. Think of your psyche as a walled garden. You don’t want to miss a flight AND be in a foul mood all night?

OR do you miss a flight (beyond your control), chill, go home, relax, calmly call your friend and save your energy for a good shag which is well within your control?

If you look for it, every setback has a silver lining.

I deal with setbacks by being fully present and appreciating that I’m still safe. I have money for a cab, so I’ll call my man and tell him I’ll be a few days late. The pane didn’t crash!

If you’re like me, you’ll freak out and cause a scene if you miss a flight. But years later, you’ll laugh it off and say, “Remember when.”

Looking back at my life, I’m reminded that something extraordinary often comes after a significant setback. — Daniel-Ibrahim

Be an observer of your temporary feelings.

When your unpleasant feeling dissipates, you realize that negative emotions are momentary (not permanent) feelings that come and go.

Not just yucky feelings, but the good ones, too, so don’t get too attached either way.

With Mindfulness, you observe your inner state (the observing self). As a result, you are no longer recognized and lost in the inertia of your negative thoughts and feelings and become the observer of your sensations.

As an observer of your emotions, you experience your authentic feelings.

Observing your thoughts and emotions without judgment makes you realize their short-term nature.

You learn that beliefs are incredibly subjective; not all are predominately true.

In sum, Mindfulness can assist you in recognizing fewer negative emotions, feelings or thoughts.

Simply put, we are not your thoughts or feelings and can merely be mindful of your fleeting emotions or opinions.

Now go out and be present!