Day 24 - Mental Health Awareness Month (Breathe)

just breathe!

Happy Friday! Thanks for stopping by for a few minutes before you run off to celebrate the end of the work week. It’s the 24th day of Mental Health Awareness Month and what better time than right now to talk about mindfulness. How did you start your day? If you’re like most people, as soon as your eyes opened you began to focus on what was waiting ahead of you for the day. Before you have even given yourself a fighting chance at having a wonderful day, your thoughts may have caused a bit of cortisol (the stress hormone) to be released into your bloodstream. When our thoughts are focused on the ever-growing list of things we simply must get done for the day, our fight-or-flight instincts spring into action, releasing cortisol to help us cope with stress or evade danger. It all happens so fast but we can do something about it by practicing mindfulness exercises.

Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your internal state and surroundings.  You are simply observing your thoughts and feelings, and other experiences occurring around you in the moment without judging them and without reacting to them. When practiced regularly, mindfulness can help a person reduce or avoid automatic habits, destructive behavior, and harmful responses.

To start your day off right, spend 2 minutes in bed after you way up. During this time, simply notice your breath. It might be helpful to think to yourself “IN” when you inhale and “OUT” when you exhale. When thoughts about the day ahead pop in, simply let them go and return your focus to your breath. You can do the same exercise for the first few minutes after you arrive at your workspace. Sit in a relaxed upright position with your eyes closed and focus your full attention on your breath. Spend the next 2-5 minutes experiencing your breathing only. If you find yourself distracted, it’s ok. Simply return your attention to your breathing. Just breathe! 

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