Mindfulness Activities: A Great Way to Beat Stress

Clear your mind and focus on the now to reduce stress.

Do you ever experience a near “nervous breakdown” or suffer a “mini meltdown” in response to a moment of stress? Yeah, you know the time where you found yourself pounding on the steering wheel when you were stuck in traffic and late for that important meeting.

We’ve all experienced at least a few negative responses like that before, but if you’re often overcome with tension and unable to keep a level head, it may be time to seek alternative coping tools, like mindfulness, to help you manage your stress.

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

What exactly is mindfulness? It is the simple practice of being in the present moment during each of your daily activities. It is the practice of seeing life as a process of constant change, and acknowledging all aspects of any experience – pleasure and pain, fear and joy – without judgment.

Habitually practicing mindfulness will help you to better deal with stress, pain and illness, and it will allow you to become more conscious and focus on “living in the now” versus dwelling on the past.

Research has shown that when you are mindful of your inner state – your thoughts, emotions, sensations and mental processes – you’re able to sleep better, cope with stressful situations, improve your self-esteem, renew your enthusiasm for life and generally feel better.

MINDFULNESS ACTIVITIES

Mindfulness can be practiced in two ways: formally and informally. Formal mindfulness practice requires taking time out of each day to intentionally sit, stand or lie down and focus on the breath, bodily sensation, sounds, thoughts, emotions and other senses.

Informal mindfulness practice involves bringing awareness to your daily activities, like eating, exercising, chores and relating to others.

Here are some great mindfulness activities to get you started.

1. To begin practicing informal mindfulness, start when you first wake up. Instead of jumping out of bed, take a few moments to check in. Ask yourself how you’re feeling in this moment, and pay attention to your breath, thoughts and emotions. This will bring a greater sense of calm and composure, and prepare you to remain in control during the day’s challenging moments.
2. When you’re in the shower, notice if your mind is already thinking, planning and rehearsing for the day. When you become aware of these thoughts, gently bring your mind back to the moment of being in the shower, smelling the soap, feeling the sensation and listening to the sounds of the water.
3. When you drive, find opportunities to drive a little slower and more deliberately. Use red lights as a reminder to notice your breathing.
4. To begin practicing formal mindfulness, schedule some time once a day to practice five minutes of mindful breathing. Find a quiet place to sit down and just be. And as you breathe, bring awareness to each breath as it flows in and out of your body. Sit and breathe as if there is no place to go and nothing else to do – you’re just living life one inhale and exhale at a time.

NOW PUT IT IN PRACTICE

Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).

– James Baraz

Take the time today to try these simple acts of mindfulness and then let me know how it goes in the comments below!