Instead of taking the beauty around us for granted, we are fully alive and finding joy in every moment. Mindfulness is difficult to sustain, however. Unwanted thoughts creep in and draw our attention away from the moment. We start dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. In order to prevent negative thoughts from taking over, we must gently refocus our attention back on the present and our experience of it.
Persistence pays off.
Every time that we become aware of unwanted thoughts, we must gently redirect them. After a while it will become easier to do this. Negative thoughts will begin to fade away and our ability to enjoy the present will improve. When we couple mindfulness with gratefulness we have a very powerful tool. Being grateful for everything we have helps us to stay optimistic.