While it's all well and good to follow the hot insta influencers in the wellness world; parroting their perfect mindful life and 500 step daily routine; for most of us, this is pretty unrealistic.
Not only is perfectionism in the mindfulness space unrealistic for the average gal - the feelings of failure and comparison it brings about are downright depressing.
Have no fear, you will not find that stuff here.
Just so you're aware of what we're talking about here, Mindfulness is the art of being present, aware and conscious of your thoughts and feelings.
Being able to block out the outside world, and focus on your inner world instead.
Why do you even need this in your life?
Great question.
The answer is pretty simple - it all comes down to stress.
Mindfulness has been scientifically proven to reduce feelings of overwhelm and stress (Langer, E. J., & Ngnoumen, C. T. (2017). Mindfulness. In Positive psychology (pp. 95-111). Routledge.).
A stress-free life is a happier one. It’s as simple as that!
Below, I have compiled a simple list of mindfulness habits you can start implementing into your life right away, without sacrificing your creature comforts.
Better yet, the majority of these suggestions won’t even cost you a pretty penny.
MY TOP MINDFULNESS HABITS:
Make yourself a cup of tea
Make a tea you love. In a mug you think is really cute.
Use the good stuff; tea leaves if you have them.
Allow the tea to brew as you watch the water and tea steep together.
Add milk if you like; lemon, honey or a splash of cool water if it's a herbal tea.
Take it outside or sit somewhere cozy. Drink it slowly and allow yourself to relax. No distractions and no technology. Sit with your tea and your thoughts until you finish.
Morning walk
Or a walk in nature at any time of the day you can fit one in.
It doesn’t have to be for long; 10 minutes is even better than nothing.
How much time can you set aside? When would you prefer to go? Morning? Lunch-break? After dinner?
Any time is a good time.
Try to walk without playing anything that will distract you; otherwise a 'Daily Jay' 7-minute podcast (available on the Calm app) is a favourite of mine.
Breathing exercises
I have two favourites: straw-breathing and square breathing.
Straw-breathing is simply taking a deep breath in, pursing your lips like you have a straw in your mouth, and slowly blowing your breath out through that imaginary straw.
Square breathing involves inhaling through your nose for a count of 4, hold for 4 and exhale through your mouth for 4. Repeat this process for ten slow breaths.
Creative activities
Anything is great really! Just make sure it requires your focus and uses your hands.
Things like knitting or sewing, drawing or colouring, baking or any kind of ‘making’ activity is great.
Use this as a way to wind down at the end of the day.
Stretching
A great way to loosen up in the mornings or a way of unwinding after a busy day.
A short and simple stretching routine can become a fantastic daily mindfulness habit, as well as a great fitness focus.
I have my favourite morning stretch routine here, or find one that fits your specific goals/needs.
Body scan
This one is so good and too easy to do when you get into bed.
A body scan is a slow and conscious way of noticing and then relaxing each individual part of your body.
My favourite way to do this is starting from feet to head. You can either name the body part in your head, focus on that area, consciously trying to relax it, or clench that muscle to then relax it more deeply.
Mindful eating
We all know we’re meant to chew our food slowly and savour every bite. But this is your queue to actually follow through.
Eating without distractions and taking note of what you are eating; how it tastes; what colours you see; what you can smell - is an easy way to add mindfulness into your day at any one of your meals.
And last but not least...
Read an actual book
Don’t read on your phone. We all spend too much time on tech already.
Find a book you enjoy, whether that be a self-help one or a fiction novel, then set aside a time to read it.
I'm happy to share with you my long list of favourites if you don't know where to start - head to my instagram for saved recos in my 'Mindfullness' highlights.
The more habits you can find which bring you joy, slow down your heart rate and that don’t involve your phone - the happier you’ll be!
So where to start? Dive all in?
I would actually suggest the opposite.
‘Habit-stacking’ onto any of your usual morning or afternoon routines, that are well-established and things you never skip, is the best way to incorporate one of these new mindfulness habits, with minimal effort.
Practise your new deep breathing exercise whilst waiting for your lunch to re-heat.
Pop the kettle on for your tea. Use the kitchen bench for support while you do some side body bends or to balance on for a quad/hip flexor stretch.
Get creative!
The way you choose to add any or some of these habits into your day is entirely up to you.
Feeling overwhelmed or don’t know where to start? Follow the link here to download my free Mindfulness Habit Tracker to help you on your way to zen!
Mindfully,
Merran x
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