Is Your Mind Full or Are You Mindful?

Sometimes it feels like life is moving fast all around you, and you have a hundred different things on your mind all at once.  When your mind is full of thoughts, ideas, and endless to-do’s, you may want to “press pause” on your life, just to take a moment to breathe.  Operating with a full mind is a natural by-product of the human experience, but it has changed over time.

Previously, our ancestors were in a state of constant awareness, frequently scanning for danger, thinking about how they would survive harsh weather, and planning to gather enough food to live.  They lived with full minds, and when encountering danger, they experienced an increase in cortisol, slowing digestive systems, and an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.

Do these symptoms sound familiar?  These are the same symptoms of our modern-day stress.

Most of us don’t encounter life-threatening situations in our everyday lives, but instead, we have meetings to attend, notifications from our phones and computers, and other triggers that activate the same stress response that our ancestors experienced.  It’s no surprise that everyone has some level of stress and possibly burn out, as our minds are full and our bodies are overwhelmed.

Some symptoms relating to high levels of stress include:

• Fatigue

• Lack of motivation

• Racing thoughts

• Difficulty sleeping

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Quick to anger/irritate

• Trouble concentrating

• Anxious

• Large emotional responses to small stressors

With life moving fast around us, it’s important we work to be mindful, especially when we notice our minds are full.  Being mindful does not make your problems disappear, but it is a way to better cope with the ups and downs, difficult emotions, and mood swings.  The main principles of mindfulness are attention, awareness, patience, curiosity, and acceptance.

Mindfulness has been shown to lower overall anxiety and stress levels, and although random practices of mindfulness can be helpful, it is most beneficial when incorporated into our lifestyle.  Whether you are new to mindfulness, or a returning practicing member, read on for some basic mindfulness practices. Many of these only take a few minutes, and are activities you can add into your current schedule.

5-4-3-2-1 Mindfulness

Feeling overwhelmed or stressed?  Possibly feeling out of your body and not aware of your surroundings?  Maybe you are feeling too in your head and not in the present?  Try to notice and name:

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can feel

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

Box Breathing

This is a breathing technique that can help you to feel more relaxed and in control.  It can be useful in many situations, and helps to regulate your heart rate and blood pressure, lower your body temperature, and improve your mood.  Try the following:

1. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes

2. Inhale slowly through your nose while counting to four

3. Hold your breath and count to four

4. Slowly exhale through your mouth while counting to four

5. Hold you breath again for four seconds

6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 at least three times

Mindful Eating

We often rush through our meals, or multitask while eating.  Whether we are taking a working lunch or watching TV while eating, we rarely pay full attention to the food we are putting in our mouths.  Try to eat without any distractions, and pay attention to your senses while eating..  What does the food smell like?  What flavors can you taste?  What does the food feel like in your mouth?  Take it all in, and pay attention to how you feel before and after eating as well.

Interested in learning more about mindfulness and additional mindfulness techniques? Let's get started working together!