Take back the fullness of your life!
Musings covered in this blog:
Mindfulness practices if you are too busy for a formal practice.
Tips on strengthening your commitment to training your mind.
What to do when you feel meditation isn't for you because your mind is too busy.
Why we want to stop thinking about how to solve our challenges.
If you knew there was a way to feel more balanced, integrated would it be something you began to prioritize? What if you knew there was a way to avoid feeling run down by stress, less reactive to the changing winds of time or a pesky relative, and instead,
help you feel more resilient? Would that tool move higher on your list of priorities?
Meditation is a powerful and empowering practice, and the more complicated our lives become, the more essential it is to amp up our efforts in getting to a meditation cushion, chair, or sofa.
I am fully aware of how out of reach that can feel. I just visited my sister which has a 6 year old going to school virtually because of the pandemic and she also has a very active 1.5 year old. I saw how she barely had a moment to herself and how routines got very easily interrupted by the demands life has on us.
That being said, it is still possible to thread the essence of a meditation practice throughout your day. Try to do any of the below activities while asking yourself to compassionately let go of any analytical thoughts of planning or thinking of the past or future.
Take 10 deep rhythmic breaths the moment you wake up in order to start off your day by activating a sense of calm.
Practice embodied gratitude while brushing your teeth. Allowing yourself to open up to the felt sensations in your body from recalling memories that create a sense of inner peace.
Mindfully drink a large glass of water being fully present in the experience of nourishing your body.
Wash dishes mindfully letting go of planning and thinking. Instead, focus on how rewarding it feels to make something fresh and clean again.
Have a cup of coffee or tea without looking at a screen or having a conversation. Just letting yourself enjoy every sip. Give yourself permission to release any thoughts that arise and come back to the delight in your cup.
Go outside for 2 minutes and feel the grass beneath your feet, enjoy the lines and shapes on flower petals, or let yourself rest your attention on cloud gazing.
End your day by recalling whatever small moments of joy you had that day, whether it’s having noticed how wonderful the refreshing glass of water or tea was, or the way your child smiled at you. And then let yourself recall a moment in your life you are proud of. Open up to the felt sensations of the memory.
By incorporating at least one or two of these activities every single day and pausing for a moment to acknowledge that you made the effort and practiced mindfulness of the present moment, you start the journey of decreasing your reactivity, increasing your ability to let go of over-rumination, regulate your attention, and have a more lighthearted/integrated sense of self.
Although studies have shown that we see more significant results after at least 8 minutes of mindfulness meditation a day for 2 weeks, we have to start somewhere! It's okay that your meditation practice does not look like that of yogis in the Himalayas! You are a busy human living through a global pandemic, trying to get your bearings after all of the changes the pandemic brought with it. We have to start somewhere and it's best not to avoid it because your practice doesn't look like a "typical" practice. Your emotional well-being is worth it!!