30 day mindfulness challenge
Mindfulness is definitely one of those words that everyone seems to want, but we don’t really know what it is or how to implement it. What works for one person is a nightmare for the next. Case in point my mother in-law loves jigsaw puzzles at the end of the day to decompress. This is my version of a never ending nightmare.
Mindfulness, simply put, is the mind and body being in the same place at the same time without judgement. When we are present in the moment, without judgement, we can create space between our thoughts, feelings, or what is happening around us. I think of my child having a tantrum. I can get sucked in and all worked up wondering why we can’t simply get out of the door without someone falling to the floor and screaming at me. Alternately I can simply notice that my child is working through something, not get sucked into their whirlwind, and regulate my own emotions and body. This space allows us the freedom to choose which thoughts and feelings to attach to and which ones can just pass on by.
A lack of mindfulness would be when you eat a meal or bag of chips and look down and have no idea what you have just eaten. When you listen to a conversation and have no idea what a person has been saying. Even more scary is when we drive somewhere and have no idea how we got there.
I originally thought this would be a great idea to slowly create awareness around being present in our daily lives. It then occurred to me that election week might be a bit of a stretch to simply remind people to breath. However, space is choose our reactions, actions, and emotions seems pretty important now more than ever.
For the next 30 days I will provide mini bite size mindfulness suggestions. You can take what works for you, try it out, and leave what doesn’t. If it doesn’t work it isn’t the right tool or the right tool at the right time. Think of me and the jigsaw puzzle. Ahhhhhh! If you leave 30 days later with a handful of exercises that you can take with you fantastic.
Reach out if you have any questions & invite a friend to join. Holding each other up right now seems so important. Keep taking care of yourself so that you can be strong in the week ahead.
I will be offering my first live class Saturday November 7th @ 8 am central. If you need to burn off some anxious or angry energy, reduce stress, create strength, and feel surrounded by community I would love to have you join.