5 Steps to a More Mindful You

5STEPS TO A MORE MINDFUL YOU OR Less E St HOW MINDFULNESS CAN HELP US FEEL LESS STRESSED AND MORE CONTENT MINDFUL YOU ressed and More Content

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In last month’s article I talked about how stress can affect our health. This month I’m looking at ways to help us manage our stress in our new “normal”. The pandemic has possibly can r even provided us with different challenges and it’s affected all of us in one way or another. There is a lot of expectation that hat h as things get back to how they used to be, or as close as they possibly can to how they were pre-pandemic, we will ave e peopfeel relieved, happy or even excited. le eady craIt’s not necessarily that simple though. Some of the ving, her n r the changes that have occurred during the pandemic have been beneficial. For some people working from home may have been the change they were already craving, so heading Shutterstock photo ot do. back to the office full time is something they’d rather not do. In terms of travel, staycations may have reignited your love for the beautiful parts of the UK. You may also have 1831544638vel abroad aken time to invites you can focus could be has given o take excitement as workplaces start to open up, people gain. You may be feeling apprehensive, worried or u, it’s important to acknowledge your feelings and feel, it's okay.

realised that travel abroad isn’t always necessary. In terms of socialising, maybe you’ve taken time to reassess your priorities and now feel more able to turn down invites you would have previously felt obliged to attend. This means you can focus your time on the people that really mean something to you. It could be that surviving a pandemic, which is no small feat by the way, has given you a greater appreciation of your health and you’ve started to take better care of yourself.

If any of this sounds familiar, you may not be feeling a rush of excitement as workplaces start to open up, people return to the office and travel abroad becomes the norm again. You may be feeling apprehensive, worried or anxious. Whatever the impact the pandemic has had on you, it’s important to acknowledge your feelings and know that, however you feel, it’s okay.

There are two main types of stress; eustress and distress. Eustress is when we do things that push us outside of our comfort zone and we experience stress in a positive way. Eustress can help us become more resilient and confident and increase feelings of satisfaction and contentment in our lives. Distress, on the other hand, is the type of stress most of us are probably more familiar with. This is where the physical or emotional demands being placed on us are too much for us to deal with, leaving us feeling overwhelmed.

Acknowledging when we are feeling stressed and taking steps to reduce our stress levels can help us to feel calmer, improve our sleep and even help us to absorb more nutrients from our food. There are many things we can do to manage our stress and mindfulness is one way we can do this.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is our ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us (www. mindful.org).

Staying in the present moment is important if we want to feel happier and more content. Being present and learning to live in the moment can reduce anxiety, stress, and help us to deal with negative or difficult situations more easily.

After the uncertainty of the last 18 months some level of anxiety, stress, and unhappiness may even feel normal.

The more time we spend focusing on the present moment, the more we become aware of how we feel and what is going on around us. This can help to improve our levels of happiness, enjoyment and even help us to connect more deeply with others. How To Be More Mindful

Being more mindful and living in the present isn’t necessarily easy, but like everything, the more you do it the easier it will become.

Practising mindfulness doesn’t mean that you’re ignoring what’s happened in the past or avoiding dealing with the future. It simply means they’re not dictating how you feel in every moment. Thinking about past experiences can help us to learn from our mistakes and grow stronger. Reminiscing about the past can help us to feel better and is a great way to bond with others. Looking forward to and planning for future events can be exciting. Preparing for future challenges or events can also improve the chance of them going smoothly or being successful. It’s the balance that’s important. When we spend the majority of our time focusing on the past or the future it can increase our levels of stress and anxiety.

We have a tendency to focus on the past or future above the present moment. It’s easy for us to focus on the negative elements of our past. We also tend to worry about what could go wrong in the future instead of focusing on what could go right. In last month’s article I mentioned that stress affects our body in the same way no matter what the cause. Dwelling on negative past experiences or worrying about what could go wrong in the future can both trigger the fight or flight response in our body and send us in to stress mode.

Here are five mindfulness techniques to help you move from fight or flight, stress mode into the more relaxing, rest and digest mode::

Mindful Breathing

Breathing exercises are one of the quickest ways to help us move from fight or flight mode, where the sympathetic nervous system is activated to rest and digest mode, where the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. Any time you’re feeling stressed or anxious about the past or the future, bring yourself back to the present moment by focusing on your breath. Breathing in for a count of 3 and then out for a count of 3 can help to focus your mind on the here and now.

The Mindful Body Scan

This simple exercise is a great way to practice being more mindful and help you to feel more connected with your body. You can do this exercise any time you feel you need to calm down and feel more grounded. First, find a relaxing position: • Take a few deep breaths. Notice the way your breath feels as you breathe in and out. • Focus your attention on one part of your body at a time. Starting with your toes, pay attention to how that area is feeling and notice any sensations that you are experiencing.

brought a lot of uncertainty and, for some of us, it continues to do so. It’s taught us a able and we can’t be certain of what tomorrow will bring. Our family, friends and health valuable possessions. The present moment is all we can be certain about. Being more sent can help us to feel calmer, more relaxed and less stressed. It can even help us to indfulness techniques mentioned throughout this article could help to reduce your to adapt to our new normal.

• After a few moments of focused attention, move to the next part of your body. From your toes, focus on your feet, then your ankles, followed by your shins and calves. Continue this until you have spent time focusing on each different part of your body. • Completing the mindful body scan can help you to feel more relaxed and notice when your body is feeling different to normal. Mindful Walking

Walking is a fantastic form of exercise that can also help to reduce stress levels. To make your walk mindful, engage all your senses and focus on what’s happening within and around you as you are walking. See what’s around you, focusing on any objects or colours you can see, notice any sounds you can hear and pay attention to your sense of smell. Notice your feet hitting the ground with every step you take. Walking in this way can help to improve our appreciation and awareness of our environment. Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is the practice of paying attention to your thoughts and feelings while you eat. It’s about taking the time to eat slowly, without distraction. Noticing the flavours and textures of the food you’re eating can help you to appreciate & enjoy your food more. Paying attention to how you feel when you eat certain foods can help you to eat more healthily and can support weight loss. To practice mindful eating, put your phone away, sit down and enjoy your food without distraction. Pay particular attention to the taste and texture of your food as well as how you feel. Mindfulness Meditation

Meditation is a great way to practice mindfulness. There are different types of mindfulness meditation, but the simplest way is to sit and focus on your breathing, a specific word or a mantra. Allow your thoughts to come and go without judging them or becoming attached to them. Apps such as Headspace, Calm or Insight Timer all have short, guided meditations to help you get started.

For many of us coronavirus brought a lot of uncertainty and, for some of us, it continues to do so. It’s taught us a lot though. Life is unpredictable and we can’t be certain of what tomorrow will bring. Our family, friends and health are without doubt our most valuable possessions. The present moment is all we can be certain about. Being more mindful and living in the present can help us to feel calmer, more relaxed and less stressed. It can even help us to enjoy our food more. The mindfulness techniques mentioned throughout this article could help to reduce your stress levels as we continue to adapt to our new normal. If you’re looking to lose weight in a way that will help you to feel less stressed and more energised, take a look at my coaching packages. My holistic approach to weight loss is perfect for you if you want to create healthy

habits that last. For fully personalised nutrition & lifestyle advice that works for you, get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, keep an eye out for more advice from me in future editions of Shutterstock photo Lancashire Magazine. I’ll be joining you every month throughout 2021. 750083887 eight in a way that will help you to feel less stressed and look at my coaching packages. My holistic approach to you if you want to create healthy habits that last. For fully ifestyle advice that works for you, get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. this article, keep an eye out for more advice from me in hire Magazine. I’ll be joining you every month throughout 2021. te: www.catherinedeancoaching.co.uk where you’ll find gn up to receive my weekly email. You can also email me n & lifestyle questions you’d like me to answer in future s: info@catherinedeancoaching.co.uk

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