Written by Jennifer Cox LCPC
The last couple blogs have discussed concepts and benefits of mindfulness, but how to practice daily? Here are 4 groups of mindful practice with examples of each:
- Attention to the present moment somatic and sensory experience
- Non-reactive and a non-judgmental attitude to experience (automatic reaction)
- Cultivating wholesome and pro-social mental habits (compassion)
- Cultivating the ability to recognize and deconstruct perceptual, cognitive, and affective experiences and biases
Use your senses while doing daily activities such as brushing your teeth (1):
- Feel your feet touching the ground
- Smell of toothpaste
- Taste of toothpaste
- Sounds of water
- Feeling of toothbrush moving along your teeth
Breath – feel your breath from start to finish. Can you feel your breath? Does your chest expand? Can you feel the air enter and leave your mouth and nose? (1)
Mindful eating (1):
- Try eating with your non-dominant hand
- Eat the first few minutes of your meal in silence and focus on the flavors, aromas, and texture of your food
- Turn off your TV and put your phone away while you eat
Explore how different emotions feel – see how it makes you feel inside when you slowly read and spend 10 secs with the following emotions: Happy, mad, stressed, excited, jealous, worried, peaceful, anxious, bored. Did you feel a difference? (2)
Acknowledge a feeling. At any given moment, ask yourself how you’re feeling right now without labeling the feeling as good or bad. (2)
Let go of judgement in situations you normally perceive as “negative.” Caught in the rain? Feeling embarrassed? Can you let go of your judgement and experience the situation in its simple form, just as an experience, rather than something bad? (2)
Become a more mindful listener by genuinely listening when other people are talking to you by reflecting or paraphrasing. Too often we hear what people are saying but we aren’t fully present, often thinking of a response or distracted with other things. (3)
When you wake up, set yourself an intention to be mindful and present throughout your day. (3)
To examine beliefs and biases that thoughts, emotions, and perceptions are accurate depictions of reality (4)
We are not our thoughts, feelings, or experiences. Understand your self-talk. Notice the stories you’re telling yourself and try to understand them more. Are they true? Are they realistic? Is there another story you could tell yourself which might inspire, encourage, or support you? (4)
Remember…
You are an essential part of your day, you enhance the quality. So, be present in the moment – Not stuck in autopilot.
Don’t know where to begin? Looking for support and guidance?
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https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.727857/full