Learning and practicing mindfulness can be tricky because it requires concentration!

Yet, once you have mastered it, then I believe that this well-being tool is a prelude to meditation.

Those of you who use meditation, as part of your daily routine, know of the plethora of health benefits; but how do we clear our cluttered minds sufficiently enough in the first place to practice mindfulness?

One mindful technique is to eat consciously, but even that can be a challenge – we all have so many distractions, in this era of much change, – that we wish to enjoy our meal in peace, and indeed interact with those around the table.

So, a refreshing, easier version of mindfulness is to bask in other peoples’ joy, especially if you are enduring stress or depression, because the feeling of love, seldom gets blocked.

I, for example, have recently had the joyous news of my daughter’s engagement. It is like a makeover for the soul. It is the sun smiling overhead and I am feeling every ray of warmth.

Who in your circle or family has had wonderful news? If nobody springs to mind, then think about someone in your neighbourhood, an ordinary citizen whom you admire.

Once you have someone in your mind, think about them in as much detail as possible. Some ideas to help you: The boy in your town who’s raised thousands for charity / the carer you’ve read about who volunteers in the community/ the elderly lady who visits the lonely, etc.

Look at their happy smiles, think about their challenges and endeavors. Bask in wonderment and pride about how they have accomplished great feats. Keep the newspaper cuttings to hand to refer back to, tell other people about the soul-nourishing news.

Get into the habit of looking out for other people’s good news, and bask in their joy. Spending just five minutes daily doing so, is the easiest route to mindfulness, and it’ll set your mind up to practice and build on other mindful techniques.