Mindfulness Tool-Kit
As a teacher and student of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, I hear many misconceptions as to what they are and how to do it. Individuals have often assumed that they won’t be a good fit for either of these practices because:
– They can’t “quiet” their mind or stop their thoughts.
– Being alone with their thoughts, without distraction, is too intimidating.
– Sitting to meditate doesn’t seem feasible.
– They don’t have the time.
– They are not flexible, so yoga isn’t a possibility.
– They have so much to do that pausing to be mindful just doesn’t make sense.
– They don’t feel stressed so there isn’t a need for practicing mindfulness.
You are not alone if you’ve ascribed to any of these assumptions.In fact, I believed most of these assumptions before I embarked on my mindfulness journey years ago. It wasn’t until my tank was at empty that I became desperate to fill it up. I couldn’t think or work away my rising stress levels or the anxiety in my tightening chest and tense body. I heard mindfulness was a clever, inexpensive, and effective way to reduce stress. So, I thought, what do I have to lose?
What once started as a reaction to my stress and anxiety became a proactive practice the more I opened myself up to the possibilities and the benefits. Here’s what it looked like:
– I would experience anger or a sense of powerlessness and would then deescalate my frustration through mindful breathing.
– When my shoulders and neck would tighten and tense up from stress, I moved and breathed my way through a yoga practice.
– When I felt like I couldn’t relax or focus due to racing thoughts about all the things I needed to get done, I would pause to meditate; in which I became an observer of my thoughts without attaching any meaning to what I was thinking or how I was responding to them. Like cars passing on a road, I considered my thoughts as passing cars and allowed them to go in and out of my sight, free from attachment or making them significant.
I thought, if I am getting benefits from this through a reactive response to my stress, then I wonder what sort of benefits I could experience if this became a proactive, daily practice. I began to get creative on where I could incorporate mindfulness throughout my day and developed a mindfulness tool kit, so to speak.
Just as I practice personal hygiene (brushing my teeth and washing my face every morning and evening, showering daily, etc.) I also have a mindfulness hygiene, which are the practices that keep me present and fully engaged in every moment. What’s neat about these tools is when I practice being present in every moment regularly, I am able to handle challenging situations with grace and calm. For me, mindfulness takes the form of yoga, walking meditation, seated meditation, intentional breathing, eating meals free from distractions (checking my email, responding to texts, scrolling through social media), mindful conversations (eliminating distractions so I am able to engage and fully listen), cardio, walking my furbabies, doing yard work, cooking, reading, writing, drawing, painting, cleaning (my family LOVES this!), grocery shopping, driving to and from work, and observing and spending time in nature.
Need support in finding the right tools for your mindfulness tool-kit? We got you! Check out some other blog posts, like “What is Mindfulness & How do I Practice It?” or schedule a yoga for healing or join my workshop on Mindfulness Hygiene. Give yourself the permission to get creative, get messy, and have fun in discovering what mindfulness practices work for you. May you be peaceful and may you be well on your pursuit of mindfulness.
About Leah:
Leah Singer, M.Ed., LPC, RYT-200, is a therapist based out of Houston, TX. Leah’s life work is dedicated to empowering human potential through therapy, coaching, mindfulness, and yoga, with a special interest in substance use, recovery, existential crises, and life transitions. She is known to create a safe space of freedom to relax, explore, and discover one’s innermost strengths that empower her clients to work through what is in their way. With Leah as your guide, you can anticipate a process that is strengths-based, solution focused, and collaborative. You can stay connected with Leah every week on Instagram and Facebook on #MagicMondaysWithLeah.
