How Mindfulness Can Help Improve Your Mental Health

A Moment for Mindfulness

By Jordan Haiber, BA

Let’s be real – life can be extremely hectic. Responsibilities (and laundry) pile up, work is

demanding, the house needs to be cleaned, that dentist appointment is coming up, and you can’t

forget to do your skin care routine before bed. Seems a little overwhelming, doesn’t it? Trying to

juggle all these things daily can send our mind into a million places at once. One moment we’re

thinking about what we have in the fridge for dinner later and the next we’re remembering we

have a meeting we’re now apparently running late for. It seems the lifestyle we feel we must

adhere to in order to function in society doesn’t exactly take our general well-being into

consideration. In fact, it makes us feel guilty to even consider relaxing or taking a day off. This

lifestyle sounds draining, well because it is. Our mental, and even physical health takes a serious

hit when we’re constantly in work mode. We become more negative more frequently, we aren’t

getting enough sleep, and our anxiety heightening are only a few of the harmful impacts of

overworking ourselves.

So, what exactly do we do about this? Ignoring, distracting, or denying the stress we are

experiencing may feel like it works in the moment, but it is only negatively impacting our health

and happiness in the grand scheme of things. What we can do instead is practice mindfulness. By

practicing mindfulness, we live in the moment and are fully present with our mind and body.

During this practice you can observe and distinguish thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the

body. By doing this, you are gently and effectively building inner strength to cope and manage

stressful situations. Some ways mindfulness directly reduces stress are by letting an individual

become more aware and accepting of their thoughts, you take the time to not immediately react

to a stressful situation, you become more aware of your body’s needs, and you are better able to

focus.

Here are some ways you can start practicing mindfulness today:

1. Take a Walk

Work has us sitting idle for long periods of time which can cause a serious imbalance of the

mental and physical energy we are exerting. If it’s nice out, go for a walk outside. Leave your

phone behind. Observe the people around you. Feel the air on your skin and listen to the

sound of the wind. This will all help you truly become present and relieve stress at the same

time.

2. Eat a Meal

How exactly is eating a meal practicing mindfulness? Well, there’s a bit more to it. Notice

while preparing this meal the colors of the ingredients you are using. Listen to the chopping

noises the knife makes while slicing. When eating, leave the tv off and have your phone

elsewhere. Savor every bite and be mindful of the flavors your tastebuds are experiencing. So

often, we don’t pay attention to the food we are consuming. We do it quickly, mindlessly and

go on with our day. See if this mindfulness meal tastes or feels different than any other meal.

3. Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises really help us not only relax but really feel all the sensations occurring in

our body. Breathing is one of the most popular ways people practice mindfulness due to its

accessibility and effectiveness. We breathe all the time but breathing with intention and

mindfulness creates a very calming effect on the mind and body.

4. Take a Shower

I know, this doesn’t sound exactly groundbreaking, but I promise you will thank me. Instead

of a rushed, quick shower a mindful one gives you the opportunity to truly ritualize the

experience. Feeling the warm water on your skin, smelling the scents of the soaps and

washes, and watching the bubbles pop on your skin as you really pay attention to what you’re

presently doing will have you feeling blissful.

If you are finding yourself struggling with stress and overwhelm and could use some support, or if you are generally looking for trauma therapy in Philadelphia, the therapists at All of You Therapy would love to come alongside you in your journey to increased mindfulness and wellbeing.