Pay attention to what you hear-the far-away sounds, as well as those overhead. If you choose sight, for example, ask yourself: What are you seeing, what colors stand out, and what textures can you identify? As Kane puts it: “How many blue things are there? Are there patterns in the leaves?” Or maybe you’ll spend time with sound.
Pick one sense to focus on, suggests Maureen Kane, a therapist based in Bellingham, Wash. If you want to get mindful in nature, head to a park or favorite trail for a walk or run. And a meta-analysis published in 2019 concluded that “nature-based mindfulness is moderately superior to mindfulness conducted in non-natural settings.”
Research suggests that spending even brief amounts of time in nature promotes well-being, a pleasant mood, and alertness. Doing so will help ward off unwelcome worries. “Continue silently repeating these words to yourself as you walk,” Rains says. Then begin the process again with your left leg. As you shift your weight to the other foot, note what you’re doing. As you move forward, say “moving,” and then “placing” as you make contact with the ground. Rains suggests paying special attention to your feet connecting with the ground, and repeating the words “lifting, moving, placing, shifting.” “As you lift your right leg, silently say ‘lifting,’” she instructs. “Any time your mind wanders, gently shift your attention back to your dog, even if it’s every second or two.”Īs you walk into the office in the morning-or through any other doors that make you nervous-aim to focus solely on your movements. “Notice your dog’s tail wagging, the sounds of his panting or his nails clicking on the pavement, and the feel of his warm breath,” she says. Instead of allowing your mind to drift to the workday ahead, or the errands you need to run, stay focused on the present by cataloging all the things your senses are experiencing, advises Joy Rains, author of Meditation Illuminated: Simple Ways to Manage Your Busy Mind. Say you’re heading outside with your mini schnauzer. If you’re midway through a tune and notice you’re thinking about your grocery list, let the thought go and return your attention to mindfully listening to the beat. For example, being focused on your playlist might mean “noticing the melody, observing how your body feels and moves without judgment, or focusing on the words of the song or the sound of the instruments,” she says. That way, you’ll be able to tell if your mind starts to wander. Getting lost in a good song is considered an effective way to practice mindfulness.īefore deciding to engage mindfully with any activity, including listening to a favorite album, consider what counts as focused attention, Goldberg advises. Sound can be energizing, calming, or both. The things that used to set them off, like running late for work or getting cut off, feel more tolerable.” “They can respond to other people rather than react. After adopting a mindfulness practice, “I typically see that they’re less reactive and more intentional,” Neupert says. Becoming more mindful has helped them get in touch with what they’re feeling and why, she says-and cultivated a greater capacity to handle life’s curveballs. Three years into the pandemic, Kelly Neupert, a psychotherapist in Chicago, says that many of her clients feel like they’re languishing.
Mindfulness can also help cure the blahs. A mindfulness practice can help lower stress, reduce anxiety ( as effectively as medication, in some cases), increase a person’s capacity to savor positive experiences, stop rumination, promote concentration, and more. The now-ubiquitous concept, which is rooted in Buddhism, has surged in popularity in recent years and is generally defined as turning your attention inward and maintaining an awareness of your thoughts, bodily sensations, and environment.
0 kommentar(er)
