Mindfulness

Mindful Exercise: Deep breathing

Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. To increase focus and quiet the mind, you can use a mantra such as “in” for when you breathe in and “out” for when you breathe out.

Mindful Exercise: Walks

You can do this walk outside or even just around your room. Pay attention to the sensation of your feet in contact with the ground. Let go of thoughts, emotions, and other distractions and just walk, as if being mindful of every step is vitally important. Alternatively, play a game and avoid cracks (or step on them) or count steps between fixed objects such as the lamp post or letter boxes.

Mindful Exercise: Nature

You may have access to a space in your garden or even just to a wide open window. Without music or the TV playing, close your eyes and simply spend time observing all the sounds that are around you. Take a few slow breaths and relax those muscles in your face. If it is a bright day, notice the light shining through your closed eyelids. On a warm day, you may want to try this in the evening in your garden. Taking time out and to open your senses to the sounds around you can refresh your mind.

Mindful Exercise: Focus on an object

In the quiet, softly glaze (and not stare) at perhaps a flower, a leaf on a plant, a painting or an ornament. Simply taking some slow breaths and appreciating every little detail of the object for 5 minutes can be just enough to relax your mind.

Mindful Exercise: Grounding

In bare feet just standing and consider the sensations in your feet, how cold or warm, soft or firm the ground feels. Also try doing this outdoors where it is safe to do so, grass or sand gives your mind stimulation and relaxes the feet too. There are over 7000 nerve endings in each foot, so this is a good one!

Guided Meditation

There are some excellent FREE resources helping with reducing anxiety or getting your motivation kickstarted or just simply helping you to sleep, try them they are good! For starters try: http://www.calm.com/blog/take-a-deep-breath?