Mindful Activities
Mindful Activities
Explore simple ways to bring presence to your day
Mindfulness Practices for Everyday Awareness
Mindfulness can sometimes seem like something someone does who has a lot of time, already feels calm & doesn’t maybe have the busy stressors of everyday life. I wanted to share a few everyday mindful activities you can do to invite some presence & a sense of pause into your day.
Short and Sweet:
5-Minute Breath Focus: Sit comfortably, close your eyes (optional), and feel your breath moving in and out of your body. Notice the sensations of your breath - the ebb & flow of the air moving in & out through your nose into your lungs, the coolness or warmth. If your mind wanders, gently guide it back to your breath. This can of course be done for one minute, in standing or whenever or wherever you may need
Mindful Eating: Choose a small snack like a raisin. Before taking a bite, observe its colour, texture & smell. Place it in your mouth & really focus on noticing the taste & sensations in your mouth. Pay attention to chewing, experiencing each bite and appreciate the experience. This can really help with our relationship with food, satiation & experience eating that just eating as fast as we can or in front of a screen
Body Scan Meditation: I am a big fan of this meditation. It is often done lying down, but as with all these practices, if you’re stood & you’d benefit, try it! Close your eyes (optional), and bring your attention to different parts of your body, one at a time. Notice any physical sensations without judgment. Start with your toes and slowly move upwards, observing any tightness, warmth, or coolness. You can find a guided version of this as well as other mindful practices for free on our Mindfulness page
Activities in Daily Life:
Mindful Walking: Pay attention to the feeling of your feet touching the ground, the movement of your legs, the sensations of the air on your skin. Notice sights, sounds, and smells around you without judgment.
Mindful Showering: Feel the water on your skin, the warmth or coolness, the sound of the water flowing. Notice the lather, the scent of soap, the movement of your hands. Be fully present in the moment.
Mindful Brushing Teeth: Focus on the sensations of the toothbrush against your teeth and gums. Notice the taste of toothpaste, the sound of brushing. Be fully present in the act of brushing. Sometimes this helps by doing it with the other hand
Remember:
Be patient and kind to yourself: It takes time and practice to cultivate mindfulness. Don't get discouraged if your mind wanders, simply gently guide it back
Start small and build gradually: Begin with short practices and gradually increase the duration as you feel comfortable
Find what works for you: Experiment with different techniques and find what resonates with you
Focus on the present moment: Try not to dwell on the past or worry about the future. Be fully present in the here and now. If you are feeling a strong emotion, be gentle with your expectations of mindfulness, the aim is to help us bring our awareness into the present moment, which can be very hard if we are feeling anxious or particularly stressed. But by focussing on your breath, you can start to bring your mind back to here & cultivate a sense of safety & grounding in this moment
By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can begin to experience the many benefits of mindfulness, including reduced stress, improved focus, and greater self-awareness. Guided sessions can really open you up to this experience & offer a multitude of new skills & practices. Our next Mindfulness Daylong is Saturday 2nd March from 10am. You can learn more about it here