During his podcast episode with Grant and George, “quiet change maker” Cliff Harvey gets the question on what he concentrates on for his health and well-being. And his number one is a mindfulness practice.
In the fourth episode of the Flippin Health podcast, we uncovered Cliff’s journey to the low-carb and keto diet back in 1998. Now, he’s a man of many titles — researcher, clinical nutritionist, and strength coach.
He also shared with us about the depression he went through during his childhood.
What is Mindfulness?
Perhaps the most well-known definition of being mindful is to be “aware of something.” It’s also achieved by being in the present moment. You also acknowledge your feelings, thoughts, and the sensations your body is feeling. It is often therapeutic, giving one a sense of peace and calm.
Mindfulness Practice: How to Start
For starters, Cliff tells us doing around 5 to 10 minutes of what he calls “mindfulness of breath.” This mindfulness of breath is pretty much a meditation. It’s one “where you’re sitting in silence and just noticing the breath, in and out.” And when dealing with thoughts, Cliff says to just “let them be.” He also adds then these thoughts carry you away, just return and focus your attention back to breathing gently.
Consistency is the Key
Cliff also adds that what people need to be is consistent. What he usually tells his clients is to start with a minute on the first day. Gradually add a minute day by day. Eventually, you’ll get to 10 minutes.
Once you’ve built the habit and the consistency, the challenge then is to sustain that for at least 30 days. Cliff also says that by the time people start to do that, it’s already becoming a practice of meditation. He’s also pretty sure that there is evidence of its effects by improving one’s life!
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