Mindfulness is an inherent skill and ability that resides in all of us. It is the ability to redirect our attention to the current moment without judging ourselves for wandering off or getting caught up in thoughts or emotions (Kabat-Zinn, 1994).

Mindfulness is not a panacea. It is not a miracle cure. What mindfulness is, however, is a skill that can help you “ride the waves” and navigate life’s ups and downs with a little bit more ease. Mindfulness takes a lot of practice, with different results for different people.

Ultimately all you need is yourself!
Many people find that having a guided meditation track (a meditation track with instructions) can be helpful to structure their practice, whereas some prefer gentle music or some nothing at all! Others like to use a meditation cushion to be more comfortable whilst practing or sit in a chair. You can even practice mindfulness standing up or walking. The more you practice, the more you will discover what feels right for you.

Not at all! Thoughts are normal: the mind will always try to wander. The skill in mindfulness is to repeatedly redirect our attention away from any distracting thoughts back to our focus point. Becoming aware of our thoughts is one of the first steps in mindfulness so don’t be discouraged! Continue to redirect your attention, viewing each distracting thought neither as good or bad, but as an opportunity to practice your mindfulness skills.

A really handy way to access meditation tracks and learn meditation is through a mindfulness meditation app. Otherwise there are many resources online, and books with supplementary CDs of meditations, both guided and non-guided.

Although Planning for Calm does not endorse a specific app, here are are some popular apps available for smartphones. Try them out! It may take a few gos to find a one you that suits you as each app can have different meditations and styles. Many have an initial trial phase for you to get a feel for the app and to try out meditation before subscribing.
See our Resources section for a selection of apps available.

There’s an app for everything! And mindfulness is no exception! Mindfulness apps offer a one-stop-shop for mindfulness resources and practices; there’s no course book, no papers, no CDs. It’s all presented together in one handy app!
The real benefit of mindfulness apps is that it puts your learning back into your hands. Unlike traditional 8-week courses, mindfulness apps allow you to complete your practice when you like, where you like. There’s no rushing around to classes or adhering to a rigid timetable. Mindfulness apps fit around you!

Typically, we recommend practing each day for around 10-15mins. As you get more familiar with the practice, you can increase your amount of practice. Don’t worry if you miss a day (we all have busy lives and unexpected events!), just start again the next day. It’s all about finding the best way for you to fit mindfulness practice into your own life. Some people may choose to practice for different lengths of time and in different ways, but it’s not helpful to compare your practice to others’ - mindfulness is a personal practice and will work best for each of us in different ways.

Not necessarily, but if this is comfortable for you then go for it! The key element is practicing calmly bringing back our attention to our breathing or to a preferred focus point when we get distracted. Because of this, practicing mindfulness can be done in almost any situation - for example, there are walking meditations, mindful eating exercises… and of course there are more traditional sitting meditations too!

Only if you would like to have one! There is no one, fixed, best way to practice mindfulness - it all depends on how you feel and what you think works for you.

Although mindfulness can have many positive effects, since the practice is very personal and involves self-reflection, sometimes individuals can have unpleasant reactions. If you feel like this may be triggering for you or bring up any difficult or distressing feelings, thoughts or memories, please consider if you would feel comfortable practicing mindfulness. It may be best to wait until you feel more comfortable; your wellbeing and comfort come first.

Check out our Resources page, full with resources including links to organisations, both UK and worldwide, helpful videos, some of our favourite guided meditations and books.