What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is simply “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” (John Kabat Zinn).
You can essentially engage in any activity mindfully.
Research has shown that regularly engaging in Mindfulness practices can significantly benefit both our mind and body.
Mindful Coloring
Mindful coloring has shown to have the same calming effect as meditation. By practicing mindful coloring we slow down racing thoughts as we redirect our full attention to coloring the page in front of us. The key is to do your best to maintain your focus on the task. When thoughts try to interrupt, gently guide your attention back to the coloring.
Breathing Bubble
Regardless of what is going on around us we can always come back to our breath. If you ever need to take a moment to ground yourself, use the Calm Breathing Bubble.
The key is to just focus on your breath, using the Breathing Bubble to guide you. If you notice thoughts trying to come through, gently redirect your attention back to your breath and the image of the circle expanding and contracting.
Meditation
If you find that you're feeling overwhelmed or just needing a mental re-set, meditation is an excellent tool to help you do just that. Meditation gives our brain a break and communicates to our body that it's okay to relax. People who meditate on a regular basis tend to be able to experience lower levels of stress.
Try doing this One Minute Meditation from Head Space every day for one week and see if you notice a difference.