Mindfulness Activities To Calm Anxiety
Many people have heard that mindfulness activities can improve emotional wellness, mental health, physical health and overall wellbeing. You can learn more about why mindfulness helps with anxiety on our last blog. Oftentimes, people in therapy with me understand the benefits of mindfulness but aren’t sure where to start. Mindfulness activities don’t need to be hours of meditation or endless gratitude lists. Mindfulness is the process of developing skills that allow us to be fully present with what is happening. That includes our thoughts, feelings and body sensations. Like any learning process, mindfulness activities work best when we scaffold our learning.
Starting with the basics of mindfulness will give you multiple benefits. You can always build onto you practices as you gain skills. I like to offer new learnings in groups of three. Here are three of my favorite daily mindfulness activities
Spend Time outdoors
A great way to begin developing mindfulness skills is to get outside! When we change our environment, it helps us be able to notice how our body is impacted by our environment. Go for a walk around the block. Notice the temperature, the sensation of the air on your skin. Listen for the sounds around you. Notice how your breath changes as you walk.
Focus on one thing at a time
This is one of my favorite activities for people who worry about “wasting” time, or who are in the habit of multitasking (raising my hand as I’m typing). This can be done while you’re doing almost any task. I will use the example of washing dishes. Give yourself fifteen minutes to focus on the task at hand. Bring your attention to the dishes. How do they look? Describe the shapes and textures to yourself. Notice the temperature of the water, the feel of the soap and water on your hands. Intentionally focusing on the task at hand can help keep us out of meaning making and future thinking and in the present moment. If you notice yourself drifting into your thoughts, just bring yourself back to the physical aspects of the task at hand.
Bring your attention to your breath
If you have ever been to a yoga class you have probably heard this phrase. When I first started the practice of noticing my breath it increased my anxiety. Now, as soon as I focus on my breath, I feel my body relax and my head clear. I share my experience to illustrate that mindfulness is indeed a skill that can be developed. So, if the first time you try it you feel anxious, don’t give up! Start by simply noticing the rise and fall of your chest. Notice the speed and depth of your breath. As you develop this practice, you can begin to focus on breathing into your belly, and exhaling for longer than the inhale. Set a timer for 45-60 seconds, or commit to noticing 3-10 breaths. Notice how your body feels when you start, and then notice how your body feels when you finish.
I hope these exercises help you begin to develop a mindfulness practice that you can incorporate into your daily life. If you are looking for more ideas, this article offers 15 mindfulness activities. Have a mindful day!