‘Tis the Season to be Mindful

Mindfulness is defined as being in the moment on purpose, with awareness, and without judgement. No, we are not aiming to be mindful twenty-four hours a day. However, the goal is to incorporate it into our lives, in some form or fashion. We try and practice the concepts of mindfulness, like any other activity, such as dribbling a basketball or playing the piano.

So as we wrap the gifts, listen to holiday music, sip hot chocolate, or stand in long lines to purchase the “perfect” gift for your niece or nephew, remember to connect to the moment.

APPS

One of the easiest ways to incorporate mindfulness in your life is to download a mindfulness App-yes on your phone. While it may seem that using our phones can be the opposite of being mindful, it is not if we use it as an aid or tool. Apps can help to remind us to pause and take a deep breath; can give us a friendly reminder ping to shift our awareness to the moment and can send mindfulness quotes or gentle suggestions to enhance your practice.

Some of the mindfulness apps that I use include Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer, and the mindfulness App. Each app has a different feel and vibe so try them out and see which ones enrich your relationship with mindfulness. Click here to find a top list of mindfulness and meditation apps. Click here to find a list of top mindfulness apps for specific things like anxiety, sleep, eating, and for children. 

ACTIVITY

Another way to practice mindfulness is to choose one activity to do mindfully each day, such as making coffee, taking a shower, or doing the dishes. Each day I practice taking a shower mindfully by feeling the wet heat on my skin, smelling the lavender smells of my shampoo, and by noticing the lather of soap on my loofah. 

Here is an example of one-mindfully making coffee:

Prepare a pot of tea or coffee or hot chocolate (with whipped cream and marshmallows I hope!)

• Do each movement slowly, in awareness. 
• Be aware of each detail. 
• Do not let one detail of your movements go by without being aware of it. 
• Know that your hand lifts the Keurig and places the pod in.
• Know that you are pouring the fragrant, warm tea or coffee into the cup. 
• Follow each step with awareness. 
• Breathe gently and more deeply than usual. 
• Take hold of your breath if your mind wanders. Simply notice your mind has gone someplace else and then gently bring it back to the moment.

Other activities can be walking, reading, driving, doing your laundry, fixing a meal, eating, listening to music, or doing gardening work. The purpose is to enhance awareness and slow down and observe and notice each detail.

MOMENT TO PAUSE

For some of us as soon as our eyes open each morning, our to-do list takes over. We mindlessly scribble lines through our tasks, anxious to get them complete, however are not aware of the present moment. As you focus on doing mind in automatic pilot, we often forget to be aware of what we are doing, feeling, or noticing. Taking a “moment to pause” or to “check-in” helps us to come back into our bodies, to reconnect, to be still. This skill is like the S-T-O-P skill in dialectical behavior therapy. Follow these simple directions:

1. Pause in the middle of your day.
2. Take a long deep and deliberate breath.
3. Feel your feet grounded to the earth.
4. Notice what is going on inside of you. Acknowledge how you are feeling- physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. What body sensations are you experiencing? Let go of judgements and focus on what you can observe.
5. Then notice what is going on around you. What interactions are you engaging in now? What are people around you doing or saying? What do you notice outside of you.
6. Proceed mindfully.

Check in regularly with yourself to connect to what you need in the moment. Practice for thirty seconds and eventually increase to one minute. As we hustle and bustle throughout the holiday season, prioritize slowing down and connecting to your mind and body.

Serenity Always,

Meredith