I want to talk to you about Mindfulness and how it has changed my life.
There was a time that I didn’t feel like I needed to relax and the more I did, the more I wanted to do.
Hope that isn’t too confusing and you understand what I am saying.
I felt like I could go all day long without stopping, but at the end of the day, I felt tired, irritable, and resentful.
Let me talk to you about being a mom, wife, and having a child on this job.
I knew I had to work and do my very best, but I also knew that when I left work, I had to do my very best at home.
And… that didn’t always work out that way.
I often forgot my son’s events at school.
I didn’t cook homemade meals as often as I wanted to and take out became a staple in our home.
All these things, combined with a highly stressful job, added to my daily stress.
The feeling of not doing enough.
Not being a good wife/mom, etc.
I am sure this is resonating with someone out here.
Let’s talk about how all of these things don’t need to be causing us stress.
We already have highly stressful jobs that are tough on our minds, body, and soul.
Whether you are a working mother, stay at home mom, you are doing your very best.
Whether you are a stay at home father, working father, you are doing your very best.
How you decide to deal with your stress, can help you feel better.
So let’s talk about it.
Part of the reason that I felt so terrible about what I wasn’t doing, was because I wasn’t living in the present moment.
And I don’t remember anyone ever teaching me this.
I was worried about what I needed to do the next day, a few weeks ahead and I was rarely in the MOMENT.
It is important to be mindful. That you are paying attention to the present moment, to whatever it is you need for yourself, without judgement, worry, or anything else.
One thing that I read in Suzie Carmack’s book, Genius breaks: Optimize your workday performance and well-being was “When we are not mindful, we are just going through the motions of life”. How powerful is that?
Being mindful I must say is whatever you want it to be. I hear so many people saying well it should be this or that. I want to be honest and say that I made this practice whatever resonates with me. You learn to be more strategic with your life. You learn to balance your life. You are balancing those things that worry you, your doubts, your feelings, or any other things that may pop up.
I want to remind you that it all starts with you. It really does!!! You are the most important person in your life.
I found some awesome tips in the Mindfulness Journal that I wanted to share with you all.
Five ways to being present in minutes.
Tip #1- Put on some music.
This is my favorite tip. I listen to music all of time, and I have created special playlists for whatever occasion has come up.
I have playlist for my workouts, meditation, work playlist, classic music, and sleep playlist.
I find that when I listen to my music I am processing things, and it’s a form of meditation. I am focusing on something and I am dealing with it.
Tip #2-Take a break.
This one is difficult for many of us, because if we take break we aren’t doing something.
Sometimes we have to recharge our bodies and reboot.
“Our entire stress response is built on our perception of threat, so taking these breaks are important”*
Tip #3-Reframe your story.
Instead of dwelling on a particular moment that is bad, you are going to reframe it and focus on the positive story. If you are repeating that something is going bad, when you know it’s bad, it’s not going to help you feel better. Reframing this by saying things like, “I am courageous”, “I am going to be kind to myself” or create your own that resonate with you.
Tip #4-Love yourself
This one can be tough one for most of us.
It is easy for us to love everyone else. There are mantras that I practice and help you stay in a positive mindset. “I am love”, “I don’t sweat the small stuff”, “ I am in charge of how I feel and today I am choosing happiness.”
What I do is grab notecards and write these down and carry them with me.
Tip #5-Rewire your brain for joy.
This tip was one of my favorites and I definitely wanted to share it with you all.
Whenever you find yourself experiencing a happy moment, a joyful experience, stop and breathe that in. Let it sink in. This according to Potiker helps rewire your brain for happiness and resilience. When you are feeling stressed, recall that memory to help you deal with that stressful moment. I often suggest carrying a picture of your favorite vacation or using it as your phone’s screensaver. This will help you deal with that stressful moment.
You all know how much I love books and reading. You must check out this magazine and book, The Mindfulness Journal: The Ultimate Guide to Well-being and Life Falls Apart, But you don’t have to: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos by Julie Potiker. There are so many tips, articles and a journal to help you get started.
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Remember to take care of yourself.
Place yourself on top of that list.
Stay safe out there.
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