May 2021

April Mental Health Challenge: Mindfulness Moments

I have been on a journey with my mindfulness practices. When I first started, it was hard for me to get to place where I was fully engaged in the mindfulness exercises. I felt silly and stupid and would often just go through the motions but did not really take away any benefit. With mindfulness becoming so prominent in popular culture, it was harder and harder to avoid. I would revisit mindfulness and continue to be frustrated because I did not get the hype.

That was until I made a commitment to myself to practice mindfulness at least 5 minutes everyday. The more I practiced, I started to notice a shift internally. I was able to disconnect from the thoughts and feelings and connect with whatever was my anchor for that practice. At times I would get distracted but I had learned through my practice how to bring myself back to what I was focusing on. I learned how valuable mindfulness could be and after that I never doubted the power of mindfulness.

My challenge to you for is to take some time each day to engage in a mindfulness exercise using the videos below. Some of the videos are longer and if you don't feel like you can do mindfulness for that long, take however long you feel would work for you (it could be 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes). The main goal here is to try and make it a consistent daily practice.

1.Mindfulness Meditation - 10 Minute Guided Meditation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p_yaNFSYao&ab_channel=TheHonestGuys-Meditations-Relaxation

2. 3 Minute Mindful Breathing
https://youtu.be/SEfs5TJZ6Nk

3. Let Go of Stress Mindfulness
https://youtu.be/c1Ndym-IsQg

4. 5 Minute Mindfulness You Can Do Anywhere
https://youtu.be/inpok4MKVLM

5. 4-7-8 Calm Breathing Exercies
https://youtu.be/1Dv-ldGLnIY

Mental Health Tip: Focusing On What You Can Control

With the third wave of the pandemic upon us and the restrictions becoming more tightened, we can start to feel frustrated as there seems to be little we can do to change our circumstances. Feeling like we are not in control can lead to feelings of hopeless and despondence. We don't have control over the pandemic, nor do we have control over the behaviour of others but what we do have control over is our daily lives and what activities we choose to engage in. While what we used to do for self-care may not be accessible, there can be other way to engage in activities that feel meaningful for you. You may not be able to go out to restaurants or bakeries you enjoyed however you could pick up baking or perhaps even subscribing to a meal kit service. Knowing that you have something delicious to eat at the end of your hard work can be a huge motivator! With the weather warming up, gardening can be a wonderful hobby to pick up. Whatever you choose to engage in, make sure it is meaningful for you.

We can utilize our mindfulness skills to focus on the here and now, rather then getting stuck in worries about the future and things we need to do tomorrow. Our brain actually release hormones like dopamine when we have experiences that leave us feeling accomplished and we can use this natural reward system to help us cope through these trying times.

Let us know what ideas you come up with and how you have taken control in your life.