Committing to a daily meditation practice is hard. That’s why I love the idea of a one-minute mindfulness meditation: you can practice anywhere, anytime. Try this when you need some more peace in your life.

“To understand the immeasurable, the mind must be extraordinarily quiet, still.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti

At its core, mindfulness is…

• Being aware of what’s happening in the present moment without wishing it were different.
• Enjoying each good experience without the need to hold on when it changes.
• Feeling each bad experience without fearing it'll always be this way.

A One-Minute Mindfulness Meditation for Peace

Think about what stresses you out. What triggers you? Being aware of that will help you put a practice in place whenever stress starts to bubble up. So you can let it go easier, faster.

When you feel stress coming on, take 60 seconds and turn to this mindfulness meditation:

1. Note the time. You can set an alarm. For the next 60 seconds your task is to focus all your attention on your breathing.
2. Leave your eyes open and breathe normally.
3. Note when your mind wanders off (because it will).
4. Return your attention to your breath.
5. Breathe in for five seconds. Notice how it feels to breathe in through the nostrils and feel your rib cage expand.
6. Hold your breath for five seconds. Contemplate this in-between stage.
7. Release your breath for five seconds. Exhale through the mouth.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 for a full minute.

One minute can feel like an eternity. Give yourself credit for trying, because it takes a lot of practice (sometimes years) to master a single minute of focused attention.

Remember: you cannot fail at this exercise. You don't have to clear your head of thoughts completely. Just keep coming back to the present moment when distractions come up. That's the real practice.

Other Ways to Practice

If you'd rather focus on something other than your breath, you can.

You can practice one minute of mindfulness in the car, at work, while eating, in a conversation, before you go to bed… anytime throughout the day.

Here are more ways you can practice a one-minute mindfulness meditation:

• Pay attention to one action for one minute, preferably something you do every day at the same time, like cutting your grapefruit in the morning or ironing your clothes.
• Focus on one moment, such as looking out the window at the falling leaves, rather than looking at your computer screen.
• Dwell in one feeling, sensing without judging. This can be a physical sensation, such as touching an object, or an emotional feeling.

Over time, you can gradually extend the duration of this exercise. One minute is a solid foundation to build from. Master the minute first.

When you feel at peace, at ease inside yourself, you are closer to home.

. . .

Tell me:

How would you most like your life to feel?

Tell me in the comments. I read every single one, and I'd love to know!

With love,

Jen

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P.S. Clear away distraction so you can get to the heart of what you want your life to feel like. Get my book Sleep Rituals for 100 at-home practices that are all about you. There's a whole chapter of meditations, another with breathing, and more to help you sleep, and feel... better.