It was a hectic day at work. You’ve been running from one place to another. The baby throws up and your toddler refused to eat what you’ve made for dinner and it slides off the table and hits the floor. You feel lost in the chaos unable to feel at peace or be the mom and wife you want to be. Can you relate?
Mindfulness, and the practice of it in our daily lives can dramatically change how we feel every day and how we deal with times like these. If you’re a mom like I am, you know bringing patience and a sense of calm and happiness to everyday life is something to strive for. Mindfulness can do even more than that. Other benefits include helping you feel more satisfied with your life, improved sleep, help with heart disease and blood pressure, help with depression, anxiety, and the list goes on! What is it? I like this definition from Psychology Today. Mindfulness is the self-regulation of attention with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance. Paying attention to what you are doing and how you are feeling without judgment, to break it down. So how can you implement this into your busy day? Here are a few of my favorite ways.
Meditation: This word intimidates people. It doesn’t have to. You can find ways to add mindful mediations to your day that take only a few seconds. Start with some help of a guided mediation. There are really great apps available that offer meditations for specific concerns like anxiety, stress, or sleep. Don’t put pressure on yourself, there is not right or wrong way. If you’re mind starts to drift, its ok, it will, just gently let go of that thought and bring yourself back. Try paying attention to your breathing instead.
Breathing Techniques: We always have our breath with us. We do it all day every day. It is one of the simplest ways to calm ourselves down and feel grounded. Start by taking a deep breath through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and then slowly exhaling through your mouth with lips slightly pursed. Do this a few times and allow yourself to focus only on your breath. Try adding a pause after you have exhaled completely before inhaling again. This is called “dropping into the breath” and can be incredibly relaxing.
Take a break and ask yourself how you are doing and if you need anything: Being mindful means being aware of your own needs. When your needs are met you will be more prepared to respond thoughtfully to life rather than react with things happen. This might mean being aware you haven’t been sleeping well and making sure you get some rest in or getting some water and a snack. We all take bathroom breaks during the day, this can be a good time to check in with yourself and ask yourself what else you need
I hope you give these suggestions a try and find some of those great benefits. My tip for any beginners is to remember not to judge yourself. Remember, there is no right or wrong way. If you are in need of additional support or would like help making changes in your life contact me at 814-451-1301.