Mindfulness

What do you do in your day that nourishes you? 

What do you do in your day that depletes you?

Sit a while and make a list of all the things you may do in a typical day. Against that list put "N" for the things that Nourish you and "D' against the things that deplete you. Notice your list and maybe over the next few days or so consider how you can nurture   your 'Nourishing list' and think about what you might try out to minimise the impact of your "deplete' list.

Take a pause

During moments in your day - maybe when stopping to make a cup of tea/ coffee, going to the loo, brushing your teeth - just take a pause. Standing or sitting with your feet firm on the floor and in an upright position as possible - take a moment to notice your breathing in and out. No need to change it -watch it, sense it as it moves through your body. Where does it go? Have you ever noticed where it goes -nostrils, chest, belly?? No right or wrong answer. Spend a minute noticing how the breath is. Then asking yourself  'What's here for me right now?' You maybe surprised to notice how busy your mind is or how your body is. And then let go of noticing your breathing and carry on with your day.

Meeting yourself

Take a seat. It could be just as you get in the car ready to dash off to the next thing in your life. Feel the seat beneath you, the feet on the floor, the points of contact that your body makes with where you are sitting. Know just for this moment - you are being supported. Take a few breaths or even  notice the few breaths as your body breathes you - no where to go, nothing to do but to just be for just a minute or two before you continue with your day.

Saying Thank You

Our minds are set for 'a negativity bias' -purely for survival. It is said things we perceive as negative, stick  like velcro whereas things we perceive as positive/ good fall away in a flash like being on teflon. And yet if we spend some time each day thinking of at least 5 things we could give gratitude for amazing things happen in our brains to redress this negativity bias. It doesn't have to be anything big. Here's my 5 for today:

- noticing the wind in the trees and feeling the breeze on my face and through my hair.

- my son helping with the shopping.

- having a day off from work and doing what I want to do.

-noticing, despite it being autumnal, there is one last flower on my clematis.

-receiving a book through the post that I'm keen to read.