What Is Mindfulness? And How To Practice It.

*Disclosure – This is a paid collaboration.

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Being a work from home mum and homeschooling my two boys, one of which is autistic, can mean that my week is quite a busy one. Multi-tasking jobs and slipping into auto-pilot mode is a given.  Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t have it any other way, to be able to work from home means I get to spend time with my boys every day. Watching them progress with their learning, knowing the areas they struggle with and being able to provide a one to one education so we can work on them. But like anyone else, I am only human and there are times when I just need to recharge my batteries and take care of myself.
I’d heard a lot of people practicing mindfulness and I must admit I was pretty late to the party with this one but very keen to give it a go.  What with the current circumstances and having to live through a pandemic, I am sure we could all do with a bit of mindfulness right now!

 

So What Is Mindfulness?

If like me you have never really practised mindfulness before, you might be thinking what is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the ability to be emersed into the moment and be fully engaged with what you are doing at that time. It’s like being intensely aware of your senses, feelings and thoughts to everyday activities. I suppose you could say it’s a form of escapism from the daily rat race! To help take things at a slower pace, to approach things in a more calming manner and to minimise stress and anxiety. Let’s face it life can be super stressful with plenty of curveballs along the way, anything that can help overcome these obstacles is a huge benefit to our mental wellbeing.

 

How Do I Practice Mindfulness?

The little things – Notice the little things as you go on with your day. It could be devouring the dinner in front of you and enjoying it mouthful by mouthful. It could be feeling the wind against your cheeks as you enjoy a stroll or a bike ride. I think the key is to stop auto-pilot kicking in by enjoy everything in the now.

Try something new – Break the routine a little but start small. If you like walking, try a different route with different scenery to take in.  We do this quite regularly.
It could also be something as simple as eating your dinner in a different place. If it”s a warm day perhaps eat it in the garden with a book.

Breathing – Breathing helps doesn’t it?! On a serious note though, breathing is a big part of mindfulness and anyone who has suffered anxiety ( including myself) knows that focusing on your breathing and taking deep breaths is a big part of helping to restore some kind of calm when feeling vulnerable.

Fun Ways To Be Mindful

Now we understand what mindfulness is all about, here are a few fun ways to be mindful and lead a more balanced and enjoyable life.

1 Colouring.  One of my favourite activities to help me relax is colouring. I can totally shut off my racing mind, get into the zone and enjoy my colouring books. You could also download some scalable vector printables such as a flower svg or a butterfly svg to colour in online and use those to create a mindful t/shirt or mug.

2 Watch a sunset. There is nothing that can bring you into the moment as a sunset can. I find watching a sunset super calming. I love the colours and often take a snap with my DSLR when I see a pretty sky emerging.

3 Listen to a podcast. There is literally a podcast for everything nowadays. Search for some mindfulness podcasts.

4 Buy some fresh flowers. I always have fresh flowers in my home and they really cheer me up. Just seeing a colourful bunch of flowers in the house instantly lightens up my mood.

5 Crafts. I love crafts. I am one of those people that decorate the house with seasonal crafts or can often be found making something useful for the home. Crafts are something you can really get stuck into and give it your entire attention, meaning you can shut off from the outside world for a short time.

6 Start a journal. Using a journal, you could jot down what you are enjoying at the moment around you, any thoughts or feelings that you want to put down on paper. Writing can be very therapeutic, that’s why I enjoy doing it for a living!

7 Gratitude lists. At the end of each day, write a list of all the things you have been grateful for.  Focusing on the good things will help boost positivity and make any tough parts of the day seem less of a big deal.

8 Write a to-do list.  Before I go to bed I have a to-do list written out for the following day. This means I can go to bed without my mind working overtime. I can enjoy plumping up my pillows and getting all snuggly under the duvet and enjoy the moment, rather than worrying about what I need to get done in the morning.

Do you practice mindfulness? Perhaps you have ways to deal with stress or anxiety?

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