5 ways to add more mindfulness into your day!

Just like everything in life, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all, and thank god for that! If the idea of meditation makes you cringe, sitting down in silence makes your mind run even more rampant. That’s okay! Don't force yourself to do something that doesn’t feel right for you. 

However, giving ourselves time to relax and get clear with our thoughts is essential for managing our overall stress levels and mental health. 

Here are a couple of ways we recommend adding some more mindfulness into your day and how to get started now! 

 

1. Journaling - Get it out on paper. Mindfulness and meditation are about giving yourself a moment to stop and recognise the thoughts that are present within your mind, and overtime learning to separate yourself from those thoughts. Journalling for mindfulness can be just as effective. Just as we add our appointments to our calendar to take them out of mind. Journalling can be a way of releasing overactive thoughts. Getting them out of your head and onto paper. Journalling isn't about becoming the world's best writer, it's about giving your mind a rest by giving your thoughts a place outside of you. 

 

2. Walking -Feeling stressed or anxious? Take a walk. A walk without music, without a podcast. Move your body lightly and breath some fresh air into your lungs. Even if it's only for 20 minutes. Creating a daily walking habit has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, get a better night's sleep, and an overall better feeling of wellbeing. 

 

3. Forest Bathing - Okay, you're probably thinking - what on earth is forest bathing? Forest bathing is getting deep into nature. Taking yourself for a walk through a waterfall or your closest place to hike and giving yourself time to just sit and be with yourself in the beautiful surroundings, technology-free. Forest bathing has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, increase creativity and boost the immune system. While you are there give yourself a moment to take off your shoes and feel grounded in the world below you. 

 

4. Tea Rituals - Mindfulness does not have to be expensive or overthought. It should actually be the complete opposite and it can be as simple as giving yourself a moment to sit down outside or in your favourite chair with a cup of herbal tea. Mindfulness is about having fewer distractions and calming your body and mind to be in the present moment. Sitting down away from all devices relaxing and enjoying the taste of a delicious warm tea can do exactly that. 

 

5.Gratitude - Creating a daily gratitude practice has shown to have immense results on your overall wellbeing, including becoming a more present, mindful person. To create a gratitude practice it is as simple as telling someone or writing it down each morning or each night 5 things that you are grateful for. These things can be big or small, the first thing that comes to your mind or brings a smile to your face when you ask that question. Gratitude not only improves your psychological health but studies have also shown that people who live in gratitude are more likely to have better physical health and better relationships.

Made mindfulness a habit? Create some more great daily rituals with 7 daily habits to better health.