Mindfulness is the ability to pay attention to the present moment with openness, non-judgement and curiosity. If you have heard about the benefits of practicing mindfulness and are curious how to begin, this article includes 4 mindfulness exercises to get started.
Mindfulness in the moment
Mindfulness is a choice we make moment to moment. Practice doing one thing at a time for 10 mins. Engage with the activity by focusing on each activity with all your attention.
When you notice you have become distracted, gently re engaging and focus on activity. Engage your senses by asking yourself what you can feel, touch, smell, taste and hear.
Teflon Mind
Practice noticing what is happening in your environment, and mind without reacting impulsively or ineffectively. As thoughts and feelings arise in you, you may notice stress, painful memories, or inner criticisms. Instead of trying to ignore or push these experiences away, try letting them move past you like water off a duck’s back, or clouds in the sky.
5 senses
Connecting with our senses can help you feel grounded in the present moment when feeling overwhelmed.
Notice your environment and practice naming:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
Breathing
The breath is something we can connect to in any situation. It is a powerful way to reduce stress and increase a sense of relaxation in our bodies. Although there is no need to adjust your breathing as simply noticing it is good enough, here is a simple exercise to start with.
Simply focus your attention on how you naturally inhale and exhale. You can try taking three slow breathes:
- Inhale through your nostrils for 3 seconds
- Pause for 2 seconds
- Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds
- Repeat.
As you practice this observe any thought, feelings, impulses, or judgments you may have, once you notice, return to your breath.
Questions for reflection
- Have you had any previous experience with mindfulness exercises?
- Do you have any that work well for you, or you would be interested in trying?
Useful Links
If you are interested in learning more than the 4 mindfulness exercises and its application in your life, I have listed some additional resources:
- 22 Mindfulness Exercises & Activities for Adults – https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-exercises-techniques-activities/
- Your Breath is Your Brains Remote Control – https://www.mindful.org/breath-brains-remote-control/
- The Science of Meditation – https://www.mindful.org/meditators-under-the-microscope/
Free Virtual Consultation
Therapy can be a safe space to work on having a more mindful approach our inner experience. If this post resonated, and you find that cognitive distortions are affecting your well-being feel free to reach out to schedule a FREE consultation.
