I just love this caption. It really hits home for me.
When your mind is full, you are thinking about all of the things that you need to do or you are ruminating on things that already happened, and in the world of Covid-19, we all find ourselves worrying about the future. Rightly so. But if you bring your attention to what is happening in the here and now, what's really happening in THIS moment, you will often find that you are ok. When you are in this present moment, you can focus on the small delights that are happening all around you. In the picture above, the character (if that's what you want to call it) is enjoying a meal (Mindful Eating). It's noticing what the food is made of, what tastes are present, what the texture is, and is fully appreciating this moment, slowly. This can be done while on a walk, sitting at your desk, visiting with a family member or friend.
When you take opportunities to fully be in the moment, you reduce our anxiety, you have better cognitive performance, and you are a better listener.
When you are lost in in thought or in worry, you get stuck in anxiety, you can't perform well, and it makes it hard to connect with people.
Try this exercise sometime.
Take a deep breath in through the nose and allow a slow easy exhalation through the mouth.
Take 2 more.
Drop your shoulders
Feel the contact point where you are sitting
Listen to the sounds around you
Look at all of the things that surround you (no, this isn't time to judge your organizational skills)
Allow your eyes to close for just a minute
Feel your breath rising and falling like the waves of the ocean
When you're ready, open your eyes. Stretch.
Move on with your day! Voila! You just had a mindful moment. You cleared some space in your head and in your heart!
Hugs,
Linette