Instructions for "Tight Spots"
We are entering a busy time of year, I have noticed the traffic in Galway begin to increase this past week, as well as the queues in the shops! Being stuck in traffic, or standing in a queue, are great opportunities to practice mindfulness and let a little stress go. It's not serving you, it never makes your day better, so let it go. Set a reminder to do this practice several times a day wherever you are, and you'll notice the benefits. Remember, the more often you do it, the more natural it will be come, and you will find your stress diminish over time, and your mindful calm increase. "...the brain changes physically in response to experience, and new mental skills can be acquired with intentional effort, with focused awareness and concentration. Experience activates neural firing, which in turn leads to the production of proteins that enable new connections to be made among neutrons, in the process called neuroplasticity." Daniel Siegel
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Instructions for "Finding Your Feet":
Your feet are the furthest place from your head that you can get, and they are quiet experts at supporting you. Tuning in to the direct sensations in your feet facilitates a time away from the endless chatter in your mind, and lets you get in touch with the here and now. This is a great practice for when you're stuck in a queue, when you feel anxious, or as a time out from a busy day at work. It's also fun to just do it outside on the grass or on a sandy beach when you feel like it, just like when you were a kid. Grounding regularly is important when we live so much in our heads, so when your head gets busy and you need a break, find your feet. "And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." ~Khalil Gibran, The Prophet, 1923 It's been a while since I wrote a Weekly Minute, I deliberately took two weeks off in August, and those two weeks turned into 5! Apologies for leaving it so long! It's been an interesting process watching the guilt build over the weeks, and still not sit myself down to write. The excuses each Sunday evening and Monday morning were reminiscent of avoiding school homework as a kid, putting it off until the last minute and never just getting it done so I could allow myself the joy of being free to play all weekend. Observing this little dance of guilt and self-torment finally got boring (thankfully) and over the weekend I sat down and had a little chat with myself, to remember why I started the Weekly Minute in the first place. I remembered that:
This little chat with myself got me back in touch with the 'why' of sitting down each week to do this. When I forgot my 'why', it became another thing on my list that I had to do, and the joy and fulfilment went out of it. If there's a practice that you have let slide, and you're doing the guilt dance, take this opportunity to hit reset. Sit yourself down, and remind yourself of why you started it in the first place, remember the values that inspired you in the beginning. Make a decision to let go of the guilt of not having done this thing, and just do it. There's no time like the present! In fact, there's only the present.... “Guilt is not a response to anger; it is a response to one's own actions or lack of action.” ― Audre Lorde Instructions for "An Exercise in Self-Love":
We are our own harshest critics, and we get away with it because other people can't hear our thoughts and intervene when we are being mean to ourselves. Can you imagine if you heard your best friend speak to themselves as you speak to yourself sometimes? You would step in immediately to reassure them and offer loving words, so here's an opportunity to do that for yourself. It might feel weird in the beginning, but why should it? We all deserve love, even when we have messed up, in fact, isn't that when we need love the most? (Don't rush over the step of making the feeling of love really big, you want to come from a genuine feeling of love when you talk to yourself, it will give your words a real depth.) "Well-ordered self-love is right and natural." - Thomas Aquinas Instructions for Positivity Training (You'll need a little notebook):
Our ability to scan the environment for danger has served us well in our survival and evolution. But for many of us, this ability is in overdrive, leaving us stressed, anxious, depressed, and fearful. When you think a certain way for a long time, you strengthen the pathways in your brain that run these thoughts, and it takes deliberate attention and perseverance to form new pathways. This week's practice is scientifically proven to forge new, more positive pathways in the brain, helping you be more naturally aware of the good that already exists in your life. "But listen to me. Instructions for "Spring Came":
If you are going through a tough time, take comfort in the fact that it WILL pass, time is your friend in this. In the meantime, be kind to yourself, be patient, and ask for help if you need it, company shortens the winter. "Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems." Instructions for "Move the Morning Blues": When you get up each morning, immediately move your body, some suggestions are:
Many of us wake in the morning and are immediately inundated with thoughts of all we have to do today, this week, this month, this year... Agh! If we don't do something to counter this, we can walk through the day feeling burdened and blue. It can be difficult to tackle this mentally, because the mind is already so busy there doesn't seem to be room for anything else! This is where the body can come to the rescue. Moving the body in the morning gives you energy for the day, and helps you shift perspective. Exercise releases endorphins, which make you feel happier and brighter, and more able to tackle your to-do list in a positive way. The trick, like most things that are good for you, is to do them even if you don't feel like it! You'll thank yourself later... "Now, I'm no scientist, but I know what endorphins are. They're tiny little magical elves that swim through your blood stream and tell funny jokes to each other. When they reach your brain, you hear what they're saying and that boosts your health and happiness. "Knock Knock... Who's There?.. Little endorphin... Little endorphin who?... Little Endorphin Annie." And then the endorphins laugh and then you laugh. See? Its Science." Instructions for "Can't Sleep?":
I've had several people mention this week that they are having trouble sleeping, maybe there's something in the air? :) The practice above is called baby pose, and it has many many relaxation qualities. Here are a few:
"Tired minds don't plan well. Sleep first, plan later." - Walter Reisch Instructions for "Strong Abs, Strong Spirit":
If you're anything like me, posture makes a big difference. When I am slumped or slouched, I feel like I have less energy and less control. When I am sitting or walking with an erect and dignified posture, I feel stronger, more energetic, and more in control, ready to deal with what comes my way. Try it and see how you feel! "It is the job of the spine to keep the brain alert. The moment the spine collapses, the brain collapses." B.K.S. Iyengar Instructions for Notice 5 Things:
You have just taken a step out of your busy mind to connect with your environment. Doing this grounds you in how things really are, and offers a break from the judgments, interpretations, and bias that we usually see things through. “Slowing things down and deliberately paying attention to each aspect of our sensory experience can reveal things that we may have never noticed before.” – Williams, Teasdale, Segal, & Kabat-Zinn |
The Weekly Minute is a blog I write each week with the aim of providing proven tools to help promote positive mental health.
The collection of short, practical mindfulness and therapy tools for self-reflection and self-improvement, can equip people to take their mental well-being into their own hands, and improve their quality of life. The Weekly Minute is posted here every Monday, or you can sign up to get it delivered to your inbox via the link below. Follow me on social media (see below) to make sure you don't miss one! Get the Weekly Minute delivered straight to your inbox, or follow it on social media!
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