5 Days of Mindfulness
Mindfulness: the ultimate buzz word of 2020 LOL
But seriously, buzz aside, I’m so happy to see that people are making time for and finding refuge in mindfulness practices during these tough times. The connection we have to our mind is truly something to treasure. It’s also something that, with practice, you might have more control over than you think! In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I wanted to share my journey to mindfulness: Freshman year of college I was feeling great. Everything was new and exciting, I was making loads of friends, and it seemed like life had a plan for me. But Sophomore year something changed. Maybe the stress and pressure I’d been stuffing under my twin sized dorm bed finally burst out, or, as many say “shit started to get real”. Whatever the trigger was, I found myself calling my mom asking if it was possible to have a heart attack at age 20. I literally went to the hospital one night because I thought I was having a breathing issue. After one too many sleepless nights, a few panic attacks, and another couple “premature heart-attacks”, as I liked to call them, I decided to see a therapist. It turns out I, like many other college aged students, was experiencing anxiety. Going to a therapist changed everything for me. She helped me understand how anxiety really worked (the science behind it), why it messed with my brain, and how it wasn’t my fault that I couldn’t always control the side-effects. This was the first time in my life that I felt true, absolute validation. Every time I stepped into her office I knew I could let my anxiety loose without any judgement. I knew I could talk my therapist through the newest rabbit hole my brain latched onto and would find myself relieved that she didn’t think I was crazy. In a way, going to therapy taught me that it was okay to make actual time in my schedule to take care of my brain. And why wouldn’t I want to take care of my brain… it literally is my connection to life....Since making that mindset shift, I’ve never gone back to burying my stress, anxiety, and depression beneath my bed. NOPE. Instead, I’ve made taking care of my brain a full on practice! My mindfulness practices are how I prioritize
my mental health.
I know that starting a new practice can feel a little daunting and can be confusing at first. I definitely had to do my fair share of research and trial/error. In an effort to help you explore mindfulness practices in a simple way, I recorded five, free 15 minute sessions on my Instagram page. The sessions include: breathing, journaling, stretching, gratitude (-ing?), and manifesting. The approach I take in each video is one of guiding you to get started with each practice. You should keep what you like and get rid of what you don't like, because not every practice is for everyone. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to dive in, then this is it! Check out each short video by clicking the links below: If you are interested in further discussing what mindfulness can do for your nutrition and health, sign up for a free coaching consultation via the link below.