The A to Z of Mindfulness: Simple Ways to Be More Present Every Day

By Anna Barnes

From Accepting your thoughts to Zooming your focus in and out, this delightful guide provides practices and prompts to live a more mindful life.

L is for Listening . . . T is for Thankfulness . . . V is for Visualization . . . The A to Z of Mindfulness will spark your curiosity about a wide variety of mindfulness subjects and encourage you to practice them with interactive prompts and reflective activities. Bright watercolor paintings and charming design make for a calming reading experience, while quotes and mantras provide the perfect dose of inspiration. Sometimes concrete and helpful, sometimes broad and motivational, The A to Z of Mindfulness is an unintimidating book to fuel anyone’s mindfulness practice.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781524869090

Anna Barnes

Anna Barnes has a longstanding interest in mindfulness and emotional wellbeing. She enjoys coastal walks and t'ai chi.

Book preview

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The A to Z of Mindfulness

Copyright © 2021 by Summersdale Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews.

Andrews McMeel Publishing

a division of Andrews McMeel Universal

1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

www.andrewsmcmeel.com

First published in 2020 by Summersdale Publishers Ltd.

Part of Octopus Publishing Group Limited

46 West Street

Chichester, West Sussex

PO19 1RP

United Kingdom

ISBN: 978-1-5248-6909-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020942159

Editor: Kevin Kotur

Art Director: Julie Barnes

Production Manager: Carol Coe

Production Editor: Meg Daniels

Digital Production: Kristen Minter

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Introduction

What is mindfulness? Also known as present moment awareness, mindfulness is about focusing on the here and now and letting go of thoughts and judgments.

Our busy modern lives are crammed full of things demanding our attention: to-do lists, replies to send, forms to fill out, bills to pay, deadlines to meet, people to see, mouths to feed. So it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and forget to look after ourselves. Mindfulness is about bringing ourselves back from ruminating about the future or worries that consume our energy to experience the present moment fully, without conscious analysis.

Babies and very young children are experts at mindfulness. For them, everything is a source of wonder and fascination—things as ordinary as a cup, a chair, a scarf, or a banana. With regular mindfulness practice, you can reawaken that inner child and that innate wonder. Pause and notice what your senses are sensing—what you smell, hear, see, taste, and feel. The simple act of focusing your awareness on one or more of your senses can be amazingly powerful, helping you feel grounded, calm, and present in your life.

Mindfulness has helped millions of people the world over achieve balance, purpose, and joy in their lives. This book is here to help you use it to improve your own life.

is for

Acceptance

Central to mindfulness practice is accepting our continuous stream of thoughts but,