Mindfulness is a technique that can help us observe our thoughts, feelings, and emotions without judgement Practicing mindfulness can help us to be present with ourselves, and others.
Mindfulness provides a quick circuit breaker when we are feeling overwhelmed, and short moments of reprieve can help us to reset and decrease the feeling of being overwhelmed. This enables us to make better choices and makes us better placed to support those around us.
Through practicing mindfulness, we can regulate our own emotions so that we can improve the quality of our day to day experience. It can also help foster greater empathy and compassion, which is particularly important at this time.
Strategies
A short break to connect to our internal world can help re-balance us. These evidence-based activities bring together mindfulness awareness of our common humanity, and self-kindness, which are key to increasing compassion for ourselves and others.
Treating yourself and others compassionately starts with:
Acknowledging your situation
Accepting what you feel or notice in the mind or body
Framing or reframing the situation; and
Planning manageable steps for action
hree practical ways to Mindfulness
BOX breathing
Box breathing, also called tactical breathing, is the reckoning tool to use when staying with emotion (instead of offloading it) and cultivating calm. This breathing exercise may help to clear the mind, relax the body, and improve focus.
Five simple steps:
Inhale deeply through your nose, feeling the air on the nostrils for a count of four.
Hold in that breath & count of four.
Slowly exhale all the air through your mouth, feeling the air on the lips, for a count of four.
Hold the empty breath for a count of four.
Repeat.