A woman practices mindfulness in a peaceful field, illustrating the calming connection between nature, mental health, and present-moment awareness.
I know I mention mindfulness in nearly every other paragraph—but that’s because this blog is all about practicing mindfulness in real life. Still, you might be wondering: What exactly is mindfulness? And more importantly, how do you actually practice it in your everyday life?
Mindfulness is a concept that’s often tossed around alongside abstract words like acceptance and surrender. But what good is contemplating an idea without practical, actionable ways to live it out? If you're looking for how to practice mindfulness in daily life, you're in the right place.
One of the clearest and most useful frameworks I’ve found for understanding mindfulness comes from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). So, in this blog series, I’ll be borrowing from that model to help break mindfulness down into simple, digestible practices that you can use every day—no matter what’s going on in your life.
What Is Mindfulness?
The beach is one of nature’s greatest invitations into mindfulness—each wave a rhythmic reminder to return to the present moment. The serene shoreline mirrors the spaciousness we can access when we pause, breathe, and ground ourselves in the now.
Mindfulness is the intentional awareness of the present moment—without judgment, rejection, or attachment to whatever that moment holds.
Mindfulness allows us to:
Wake up from autopilot and fully participate in our lives.
Observe what’s happening with clarity and notice what’s helpful or harmful—without judging or avoiding it.
Stay rooted in the here and now, rather than ruminating on the past or chasing the future.
How Do You Practice Mindfulness?
Mindfulness skills are simply the specific behaviors and techniques that, when practiced consistently, build the capacity to be mindful. You can practice mindfulness anytime, anywhere—with anyone, doing anything. It’s really that accessible.
Common Mindfulness Practices
If you’re wondering how to start practicing mindfulness in daily life, here are some effective and widely used techniques:
1. Meditation
A moment of calm: a young man finds peace and presence while meditating beneath a tree, embracing mindfulness in nature.
Meditation is the formal practice of mindfulness. It can be done sitting, standing, lying down, or even walking. There are two main styles:
Focused attention: Concentrate on a specific object of awareness—like your breath, body sensations, sounds, emotions, or thoughts.
Open monitoring: Notice whatever comes up in your awareness without trying to hold onto or push anything away.
2. Contemplative Prayer
Spiritual or contemplative mindfulness practices exist in every major religious tradition—Christian centering prayer, the rosary, Jewish Shema, Islamic Sufi practices, Hindu raja yoga, and others. These practices help cultivate presence and connection through sacred repetition and inward focus.
3. Mindful Movement
Mindfulness doesn’t have to be still. Practices like yoga, martial arts, tai chi, and ecstatic dance are powerful ways to bring attention into the body. Even everyday movement—walking, running, hiking, swimming, biking, or gardening—can become mindful practices when done with awareness.
4. Everyday Mindfulness
Mindfulness isn’t limited to special rituals or quiet time. It’s just as relevant while washing dishes, giving a presentation, driving in traffic, or navigating a child’s temper tantrum. These ordinary, unglamorous moments are real-life opportunities to pause, breathe, and return to the present.
When life puts you in the driver’s seat, mindfulness helps you steer—just ask this pup!
Intentional mindfulness practices like meditation, prayer, and movement and presence during neutral moments strengthen your ability to be mindful in the moments you don’t plan for—like the tough conversations, the stressful transitions, or the deeply joyful times we often rush past.
What’s Next in This Series
In the upcoming posts, I’ll walk you through the core mindfulness skills from DBT:
The What Skills — What you do to practice mindfulness: Observe, Describe, Participate
The How Skills — How you practice mindfulness: Nonjudgmentally, One-Mindfully, Effectively
Each skill will get its own post, complete with real-life examples and beginner-friendly mindfulness techniques. With so many different ways to practice, you’re bound to find something that helps you feel more present, grounded, and alive in your real life.
Written by Amanda Stemen, MS, LCSW