7 Unique Ways to Be Mindful of Others

Often, when mindfulness is discussed, the focus is all about the individual and not those around them. There are a lot of ways to help improve your mindfulness, but you should also be concerned with ways that you can be mindful of others. After all, mindfulness is not just a practice, it is a way of life.

This means you will want to help those around you achieve mindfulness, as well. Plus, sending out good vibes when you are mindful of their beliefs, feelings, and mental well-being can help achieve a higher level of mindfulness. In other words, help others help you and build a less stressful and happier environment.

By doing this, you will be able to connect better with the emotions and lives of those you love, as well as get even more in tune with your inner self, as well. Are you mindful of others? If so, how can you get better at it? If you are not mindful of others, how do you be more mindful? These questions are exactly what we are going to answer below.

How to Tell If You are Mindful of Others

Being mindful means living in the moment and not focusing on things you can’t change, like the past, and trying not to worry about things that haven’t happened yet. Practicing mindfulness will allow you to be more aware and alert of your feelings, your surroundings, and those you choose to associate with.

This might lead to less judgmental thinking and more attentive engagement with those you talk with. If you’re unaware of whether you are mindful of others, you will need to look hard at your core values and your actions towards others. Things like kindness, respect, and empathy all play a role in your mindfulness toward others.

Make sure you sit down and do an evaluation of these values and see how you use them in your everyday life, especially in regards to those you surround yourself with, as well as the general population.

7 Ways to Be Mindful of Others

Being mindful of others starts with a lot of self-reflection and taking stock of your beliefs. Then, you have to look at those and challenge them if they seem to be counterproductive in regards to your mindfulness and that of others.

There are a lot of people in the world, and you may not be able to be everything to everyone, but with the actions below, you can be more mindful of them. This will make a big difference in your life and the world around you.

1. Listen Intently

Sometimes, when we are in a conversation our mind wanders. This could be in an effort to figure out how we feel about the subject we are discussing, trying to figure out how to respond, or just because we have a lot on our plate and we are trying to figure out how to get it all done. Is that fair to the other person, though?

To be more mindful, you should stay present and listen intently. This also includes not being judgmental and trying to stay empathetic to their feelings. Also, in order to listen intently, we should try to be accepting of different views and beliefs.

2. Help Others

Compassion and empathy are a key part of being mindful when it comes to others. There is no better way to exercise those mental and emotional muscles than giving your time to others. This activity – volunteering – allows you to set aside your worries and concerns and focus on someone else’s. This can help breed awareness and understanding of other struggles and give you a wider view of the world.

3. Take a Trip

Sometimes, the reason we lack mindfulness towards others is we have a shallow understanding when it comes to other cultures and beliefs. In other words, we have a fear of the unknown. One way to cure this is to travel to other countries or states.

When you do this, go with an open mind, ask questions, and jump feet first into the destination’s culture. This will help remove the fear and allow you to be exposed to different takes on history and other important factors that can help you become more mindful of others.

4. Inner Reflection

Of all the ways to be mindful of others, this may be the most impactful. Sometimes, we are unaware of how we act or treat others, so taking some time to look inwards can help us figure out what we need to work on. This might include meditation or the use of a program like 7 Minute Mindfulness.

These opportunities for growth are often the birthplace of our judgmental nature and our unfair treatment of others. Make sure to take time for self-care and inner reflections, and you may find yourself being more mindful of others.

5. Relationships Take Work

You need to be present in your relationships. After all, those are the people you will have the most contact with and the ones that you will be able to be more mindful of on a consistent basis. Relationships take work, and you have to be available and put effort into maintaining the relationship.

Being available doesn’t mean you have to be a 24/7 convenience shoulder. You still have to be there for yourself, too. However, you should make the effort. For instance, you should call your friends and not just wait for them to call you. When talking with them, refer to the first technique we discussed about listening intently.

6. Love Big and Loud

Everyone needs to hear that someone cares about them. That means that one of the best ways you can be mindful is by telling those you love that you love them as often as possible. You also need to love big. Don’t only tell the ones you love but show them, and do it big!

For those who may not be in your immediate circle, you can still love big and loud. This goes back to giving your time to causes and people or even just doing a random act of kindness for someone you don’t know. Love goes a long way toward being more mindful of others.

7. Silence That Inner Critic

A lot of the time, when we are cold and unthoughtful to others, it is because of that inner critic we have inside us. Sometimes, judgmental thoughts don’t stay in the mind, and they find their way out into the world. Working on quieting that inner judgmental voice can help you achieve the mindfulness towards others that you are looking for. There are many ways to do this, including using a mindfulness app or mindfulness course (one great option is the 7 Minute Mindfulness program).

Final Thoughts

Being mindful of others will not only help you but the world, in general. With more care and effort, you can lend some of your peace of mind to the people surrounding you, as well as those you meet in your everyday life. In the end, mindfulness will help make you and others happier.