Calm in the Chaos: Introducing Mindfulness to Your Daily Routine
Back-to-School season is here! Facebook and Instagram are filled with sweet and hopeful back-to-school pictures. The familiar images are of nervous smiles, fresh haircuts, white tennis shoes that have yet to see a playground or mudpuddle, brand new first day outfits and uniforms, and even a few sweet signs that read “First Day of School.” Lately, there is also a trend to post college dorm room transformations on social media. Parents and their college-bound young adults can somehow turn a cinderblock and sterile dorm room into a cozy, color-coordinated and styled space that rivals some hotels! Personally, I am loving the “Text Your Mom” pillows that are appearing in dorm room reveals.
While these images are delightful, Insta-worthy, and loved by all of our friends and family, it is no secret that getting to these moments took more than a little work. A typical back-to-school prep day might look like running back and forth (and back again) to Target, searching Amazon for school supplies and dorm essentials, reviewing supply lists, filling out back-to-school forms, shopping for new shoes, scheduling hair appointments, scheduling doctor appointments, and cramming in all the last-minute summer reading and projects. (Not to mention that all of this running around was done in the 110-degree Houston heat!)
Finding Peace and Calm in the Madness
While the back-to-school rush will soon slow down, it won’t be long before fall sports will take its place. Following the start of fall sports, the rush of the holiday and Christmas season will begin. Let’s don’t even talk about MAY. The rushing never seems to end. Finding ways to find peace and calm in the madness of it all might be our saving grace as parents and students. While there are many different ways to take care of yourself through the chaos of each season, a tool that can be practiced just about anywhere and at any time is mindfulness.
What exactly IS mindfulness?
Mindfulness, by one definition, is the mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Mindfulness is simply stopping to notice. We acknowledge our feelings without judgement and then turn our attention to the present moment. Brene Brown said, “When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune in to what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.” Some might argue that there is no time in the day for this much mediation and stillness. Mindfulness, while tied to these practices, does not have to be long mediations or hours of stillness. Mindfulness allows us to slow down, breath, notice, and center ourselves as we move throughout our hectic days. This process is sometimes called “activity meditation” and most techniques will only take 1-3 minutes.
How do I practice mindfulness throughout the day?
Blogs, articles and books are filled with different techniques to introduce and maintain mindfulness in your life. Below are four of my favorite mindfulness practices. I hope these help you find moments of calm in the chaos and inspire you to find even more techniques and tools for adding mindfulness to your daily routine.
Mindfulness Techniques and Tools
The Five Senses: This simple technique will help you feel centered and calmer in less than two minutes. Sit comfortably, take a deep breathe, exhale, close your eyes and begin focusing on your five senses. Keep your eyes closed, breathing slowly, until the last step of the exercise. First, notice all that you hear (perhaps you are sitting at your desk at work and you hear the muffle of other conversations or the hum of the air conditioner). Next notice what you smell, taste and touch. If you don’t currently taste or smell anything, consider your favorite tastes or scents. You can also simply notice the absence of any strong tastes or smells. Noticing the sense of touch (what you physically feel) might be noticing tension in your neck or feeling your back pressed against your chair. The final step of this technique is opening your eyes and naming several things that you can see. By the end of this short meditation, you will feel calmer and ready for your next activity.
Gratitude List: A gratitude list allows one to reframe any overwhelming or frustrating thoughts by slowing down and acknowledging the good. When you look for the negative in a situation, you will most certainly find it. When you look for the good, you will most certainly find that too. Naming 3-5 people or things that you are grateful for will shift your focus, quiet your mind, and allow you to move about your day in a more positive way. You can even start your list by acknowledging the gratitude you feel for this intentional and quiet moment that you are allowing yourself.
Acknowledging the Doors: As we go about our busy days, we are moving in and out of buildings, cars, houses, schools and more. Noticing when you pass through a new door, can be an easy form of mindfulness to add to your daily practice. Acknowledge that you are leaving behind the stress, energy, and feelings of the last activity and moving on and through the next. Pause and gently close the door behind you and move intentionally to your next activity or appointment. In my own counseling practice, I will often recommend to anxious or panicking clients that they simply walk out of the room and through another door, leaving behind the negative stress and energy. The same idea applies to this technique. Notice the new spaces and move intentionally through your day.
Savor the Starbucks (Mindful Eating/Drinking): Whether your drink of choice is Starbucks, an ice-cold glass of water or your favorite boba tea, use this technique to slow down and savor the moment. In the rush of the day, we often grab a tea or coffee on the run and gulp it down quickly before the next stop. Add mindfulness to your next Starbucks run by taking a couple minutes to notice and savor your drink. Remember the 5 Senses Mini Meditation? Use the same approach to notice all of your senses before drinking your latte. Notice the color of the drink or the swirls of the foam and the patterns created on the surface, notice the temperature of the cup or glass in your hand, breathe in the aroma, notice any sounds from the cup or straw, and finally (slowly!) savor the first taste of your favorite drink. Slow down and allow yourself the gift of savoring your $7 cup of coffee! Breathe, notice and be present.
How The Mind Spot Can Help
The Mind Spot can work with you to practice mindfulness daily and learn the tools and techniques to help bring peace and calm into the chaos in your life. Make an appointment with Aimee Rodriguez or one of our counselors today. Meet Our Counselors