Chapter 1 Mindfulness Made Simple

Let’s face it — I dislike labels.

Even seemingly positive terms like mindfulness, meditation, and stillness can create unnecessary barriers. They imply there's a specific method to engage in these practices. In reality, they are merely behaviors:

1. Meditation is about awareness.
2. Mindfulness is being present.
3. Stillness is the combination of both.

These different approaches lead to the same goal: achieving a clear, joyful, and focused mind. Below are three simple and practical steps you can implement today to declutter your mind, invite inspiration, and enhance your productivity.

1. Master the Art of Forgetting

Lisa Genova, a neuroscientist focused on the nuances of forgetting, notes:

“We often stigmatize forgetting, but it’s a natural function of our brain... we need to forget certain things to remember others.”

How many times have you attempted to meditate only to be instructed to “clear your mind”? This can feel like an impossible task.

Approximately 90% of individuals who don’t meditate cite the inability to clear their thoughts as a barrier. Clearing your mind is a skill that can be honed. Mastering the art of forgetting involves transferring thoughts from your short-term memory to long-term storage. Feeling overwhelmed often stems from resisting the release of thoughts that could be tucked away in your subconscious.

Begin by trusting your brain. Understand that important thoughts won’t vanish when forgotten; they are simply relocated. Here are a few strategies to practice:

• Take a walk.
• Write everything down.
• Imagine locking your important thoughts in a vault.

Finally, let go of everything. Force yourself to forget, knowing that forgetting is essential for remembering. In a CBC radio interview, Genova explains that this intentional shift improves memory, reduces stress, and fosters creativity. Remember, your brain has a backpack — use it wisely.

The first video, "3 Small Habits - Life Changing Results," provides practical ways to implement these concepts into your daily routine.

2. Refresh Your Mental Palette

Our daily activities often blend into one another. Responding to a client turns into checking emails, which then leads to aimlessly scrolling through social media. Before long, you realize you've squandered an hour.

Mindless actions can nurture unproductive habits, while intentional actions encourage positive ones. After every task, take a moment to refresh your mental palette and set intentions for your next endeavor.

Consider this:

In wine or coffee tastings, participants consume palate cleansers — like bread or seltzer — to reset their taste buds. Similarly, moments of stillness can serve as mental palate cleansers. After completing a task, take a few moments to breathe deeply:

• Inhale: Reflect on what you’ve just accomplished.
• Exhale: Release the past and fully immerse yourself in the present.

Repeat this process until you can exist solely in the moment. Then, establish clear intentions for your next activity. Simple affirmations, such as "I'm checking emails now," can help your mind prepare for the upcoming task.

3. Simplify with Acronyms

Historically, scientists believed humans could remember a maximum of seven items simultaneously. However, recent studies suggest that three to five is more accurate, referring to this as working memory.

To simplify my life, I adhere to "The Rule of 5":

• Major goals
• Minor goals
• Daily tasks
• Core values
• Everything else

If it can’t fit in one hand, it won’t occupy space in my mind. To embrace simplicity, I utilize acronyms.

Try this:

Condense everything you're currently managing into a maximum five-letter acronym. For instance, my writing business is encapsulated by L.T.M.O:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Medium
• Other

These terms may not carry meaning for you, but they hold significant power for me. I keep L.T.M.O visible on my whiteboard and in my Notion app to-do list.

Additionally, the Roman Room technique, often used by card counters, shows that associating items with a specific location can aid memory. Remembering one room is easier than recalling numerous cards or patterns.

Use acronyms to lighten your mental load, especially when your to-do list feels overwhelming. For example, your daily acronym could be “REWIS”:

• Read
• Emails
• Workout
• Interviews
• Schedule meetings

When traveling, you don’t carry everything with you — you bring a keychain. Create mental keychains by focusing on just five essential items.

Five is a significant number for me. It symbolizes:

• Balance (the midpoint between 1 and 10)
• Presence (focusing only on what you can grasp with five fingers)
• Focus (not extending beyond what you can hold)

Instead of trying to remember this entire article, focus on these key points for clearing your mind:

1. Forget
2. Palate cleanse
3. Stick to your acronyms

In summary, remember F.P.S.S.

I’m Hudson, and I write about living a healthier, happier, and more mindful life. To receive updates directly in your inbox, subscribe to my newsletter.

The second video, "7 Tiny Micro Habits That will ACTUALLY change your life," offers additional insights into incorporating small changes for significant impacts.