The next important step is to determine when to practice; it can be any time of day. Begin with five minutes and perhaps expand the practice time to 45 minutes or somewhere in-between. Practicing daily will create a foundation to train the mind to be still, focus on feelings without judging and find calmness and clarity. The brain will still send many thoughts forward, and practicing mindfulness will allow us to recognize those thoughts and let them settle or just float by as if on a moving stream, without the need to explore or judge them.

Our breathing will support bringing awareness back when thoughts begin to sneak in. Learning to find your breathing rhythm in and out through the nose will help find that sense of calmness, stillness and focus. The inhale is intentional, filling up the lungs. The exhale is slow and a bit longer than the inhale, to allow the body to relax and lungs to completely empty.

Beginning a mindfulness journey with learning to breathe can be a good starting point. Use the breath as an anchor; observe it, feel it and hear it. When something causes a distraction, come back to the breath. Learning to take time to settle the mind is solid training in focusing.