Are you wondering how to be mindful? 

As you're doing a daily task, stop thinking and focus on what's going on. 

Imagine you are walking down the street heading to class. How does the pavement feel against your feet as you walk down the street? Is the pavement uneven, rocky, or smooth? How heavy is your bag? Is there a tag in your shirt? Do you have multiple layers on? How do your clothes fit against your skin?  Do you feel sun on your face or is that wind? Is there a mist in the air that you can feel in your lungs as you breathe in? 

What colors do you see? What is moving around you and what is still? Are there trees? Flowers? Buildings? Is the sun bright? Are the clouds reflecting more light or are they absorbing light? Do you see a blue sky? Are there white clouds? Black clouds? What kinds of shapes do you see? 

What do you hear behind you? Listen to the breath coming in and out of your lungs. Listen to your heart beat - is it fast or slow, does it slow down as you start noticing how it sounds? Are there dogs barking? Cars honking? Do you hear the sounds of a city or is it quiet enough to hear your feet stepping on the ground? 

The benefits of a room-darkening shade or blackout curtain/blind cannot be underrated!