Mindfulness Made Easy With 6 Simple Practices to Banish Monkey Mind
Dr. Jackie Cawley is an osteopathic family physician, health care executive, and leadership mentor with over 30 years of experience. As the CEO and founder of the Delean Institute for Growth and Wellness, she is dedicated to helping others achieve optimal wellness through personal development and transformational growth.
What if the most productive thing you could do today is stop? We live in a world that rewards being busy. Busy means productive, important, and needed. Our calendars are full. Our phones are always within reach. Emails, texts, social media, work, family, and endless to-do lists compete for our attention.
Even when our bodies finally sit down, our minds keep moving. This has been called the “monkey mind.” It is that constant stream of thoughts jumping from one thing to another, ruminating on what needs to get done, who needs you, what you forgot to do, and what is happening tomorrow. For many women, especially those balancing careers, families, relationships, and the many roles they carry, quiet can feel almost uncomfortable.
But here is something worth considering: Maybe we don’t need to do more. Maybe we need to be more present for what we are already doing. That is where mindfulness comes in.
Mindfulness is not about emptying your mind
Many people think mindfulness means sitting quietly for 30 minutes with a completely empty mind. Let’s be honest, who has time for that? The good news is that mindfulness is much simpler.
Mindfulness is the intentional practice of becoming more aware of yourself and the present moment. It is about noticing what is happening rather than automatically moving through the day on autopilot. You notice your breath, your thoughts, and how your body feels. You notice the person sitting across from you and the world around you. In that noticing, something important happens. You create a pause.
Research has linked mindfulness practices with benefits such as improved attention, enhanced mood, better sleep, and reduced stress. Mindfulness can also help increase awareness and support our ability to focus. That pause can be powerful. It is the space between stimulus and response.
Think about the last time someone upset you. Maybe it was a comment from a coworker or a difficult conversation with your teenager. Perhaps it was an unexpected email or a stressful moment at home. Our first reaction is often automatic. We react, defend, worry, or shut down. But mindfulness gives us an opportunity to pause before we respond, and that pause allows us to notice what is happening inside us.
It gives you space to ask yourself: What am I feeling and thinking? What is happening in my body? What do I really need right now? It gives you a chance to name your emotions and notice how they are affecting your body. This does not mean ignoring difficult emotions. It means becoming aware of them instead of allowing them to run the show. That is a powerful form of self-leadership.
One of the biggest misconceptions about mindfulness is that it requires a significant amount of time. It doesn’t. You do not need special equipment, an expensive class, or a perfectly quiet house. Mindfulness can take just a few minutes and can happen almost anywhere. In fact, some of the most meaningful practices can be woven into moments you already have. Below are simple, free exercises to help you be more mindful in the moment and banish that “monkey mind.”
1. Start with your breath
When the autonomic stress response is activated, we tend to breathe very shallowly, moving less air into our lungs. However, as human beings, we can control our breathing. When you feel stressed or overwhelmed, stop and take a few slow, intentional breaths.
First, sit comfortably and notice how you are breathing. Next, slowly breathe in as deeply as you can, pause briefly, and slowly breathe out. Repeat several times, and as you finish, notice your body. Are your shoulders softer? Is your jaw more relaxed? Does your mind feel a little quieter? A few minutes of focused breathing can become a simple way to create a pause in a busy day.
2. Get outside
Step outside and reconnect with the world around you. Use all your senses to take in your surroundings. Feel your feet on the ground, notice the temperature of the air, listen to the sounds around you, and look at the trees, flowers, or sky. You don’t have to go anywhere special, you simply need to be present. Spending just 10 minutes in nature can help you feel more mindful and grounded.
3. Really listen
The next time someone speaks to you, put down your phone and truly listen. Don’t think about your response, check your email, or plan what you need to do next. Just practice active listening. Notice their words, tone, facial expressions, and body language. Being fully present is one of the simplest ways to strengthen connections, and it also communicates something powerful to the other person: You matter. I see you. I am here with you.
4. Listen to your body
Your body is constantly communicating with you: a tight jaw, raised shoulders, a clenched stomach, perhaps shallow breathing or an overwhelming sense of fatigue despite getting a full night’s sleep. A body scan can help you notice these signals before they become overwhelming.
To do a body scan, start by taking a few slow breaths and moving your attention from your feet upward through your body. Notice where you are holding tension and how it feels. You don’t have to change anything, simply notice your body and what you are experiencing. Awareness is the beginning of change.
Once you are aware of the tension in your body, you can consciously relax those tight muscles, soften the space around your mouth and eyes, and better understand how stress affects your body. Your brain communicates with you through your body. A body scan allows you to use that information to focus on where you need to intentionally release tension.
5. Practice gratitude
Research has shown that gratitude can improve mood, reduce blood pressure, and enhance one’s sense of well-being. It is simple to practice and can be done anywhere. Morning is a wonderful time to spend a few minutes being grateful, as it can set the tone for a more positive day.
Before you get out of bed, think of three things you are grateful for. They don’t have to be big things. You can express gratitude for your family, a good night’s sleep, the warmth of the sun, or your morning coffee. It may be a friend, your health, or the opportunity to begin a new day. Gratitude helps us notice more consciously what is good and meaningful in our lives. Writing those things down in a journal can make the practice even more powerful.
The real power of mindfulness isn’t found in one five-minute exercise. It is found in learning to become more present throughout your day: tasting your coffee instead of drinking it while scrolling, feeling the warmth of a blanket around you, noticing the breeze during your walk, or stopping to smell the flowers. It could be an opportunity to stretch and feel your body move or to give someone your full attention. These small moments can become anchors, and over time, they can change the way you experience your life.
Many of us have learned to believe that we can rest when everything is finished, but when is everything ever finished? There will always be another email, load of laundry, appointment, or problem to solve. If we wait for life to become quiet before we allow ourselves to pause, we may be waiting forever.
You don’t have to earn the right to breathe or finish everything before taking care of yourself. You don’t have to escape your life to experience peace. You simply need to stop long enough to notice that you are already in it. Mindfulness is not about becoming a different person. It is about becoming more fully present for the person you already are.
It gives us an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with ourselves, and make more intentional choices. It can help us move from reacting to responding, from rushing to noticing, and from distraction to connection. Today, give yourself five minutes to take a breath, look around, and let yourself be exactly where you are. Your life is not waiting for you somewhere in the future, it is happening right now, and perhaps the greatest gift you can give yourself is the willingness to be present for it.
Let’s connect! Check out my website to learn more and schedule your free discovery call: Book an Appointment With Dr. Jackie Cawley. You can also follow me on YouTube.
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Dr. Jackie Cawley, CEO of Delean Institute for Growth and Wellness
Dr. Jackie Cawley is a healer, teacher, and thought leader in wellness, personal growth, and leadership development. She has a passion for helping others achieve their full potential and be empowered to pursue their personal and professional goals. Dr. Cawley is the founder and CEO of The Delean Institute for Growth and Wellness, author of Power Up, and creator of the Power Up Framework for transformative growth and empowerment. Her mission is to help others achieve wellness through personal growth.
