We can tap into mindfulness at any given time throughout the day. You can use the following simple techniques to do so.
These practices are especially helpful any time you feel caught up, stressed, overwhelmed or in need of greater inner strength; you can use them to anchor yourself in the present moment by reconnecting to your primary experience.
1. Take 5 deep breaths
This is a simple exercise to find your centre and connect with your deeper nature. You can do this anywhere and at any time, but it is especially useful if you find yourself feeling stressed or wanting to step out of reactivity and back into response mode.
Take a moment to focus your attention on your body and the sensations of your breathing. Focus on breathing in and out slowly but comfortably and with as much awareness as possible. Let everything else go for a few moments.
Notice your body swelling and subsiding. Stay focused on one breath at a time – in and out, in and out. Count to five breaths.
2. Let go of tension
Deliberately scan your body for any tension, tightness, holding on or gripping.
As you breathe out, deliberately soften and relax those areas of the body. You can start with one place, like the jaw. With the next breath soften the shoulders, then the belly, then the hands.
You can keep doing this for up to ten breaths.
3. Zoom out
This exercise will help you to unhook from thoughts and connect with the world around you. It’s especially helpful if the mind feels tense, constricted or fixated on a particular problem or worry.
‘Zoom’ your attention out from your thoughts, out from inside your head, and into the world around you. Connect with your whole visual field. Look up and look around the whole room or out to the horizon if you can see it.
Take in your whole experience, noticing what you can see, hear, smell, touch and feel. Absorb the whole world around you and let the moment in, like receiving a gift.
Discover more ways to regain control and create positive change in Melli O'Brien's book Deep Resilience.
4. A sacred pause
Next time you feel reactive, rushed or overwhelmed, if things are difficult, if you are engaged in conflict or if you simply want to connect to a deeper awareness, physically stop what you’re doing for at least five seconds (but up to a minute) and connect with the present moment. Tune in to your sense perceptions.
Physically stopping whatever it is that you’re doing sends a strong signal to your body and mind to shift gears. It interrupts our unconscious patterns and gives us a chance to catch our breath.
5. Drop an anchor
Your feet are the farthest thing from your head, so sometimes when we are caught up in thinking, a helpful practice is to drop our attention down into our feet.
Feel the sensations of your feet on the floor. Notice how they are connected to the ground and feel the solidity and stability of the earth beneath you. If you find it helpful, you can push your feet down into the ground or gently rock side to side to increase the feeling of contact.
Notice the sensations as you do: tingling, pulsing, pressure, the touch of fabric against skin (if you have socks on, or are standing on carpet), the temperature, the feeling of the floor beneath you. Do this for as little as five seconds or as long as a minute.
6. Let go of time
One of the simplest ways to be mindful is to let go of thinking about the past and future and focus exclusively on the present moment. Remember that you only ever have to deal with one moment at a time. Be present for the one you’re in.
Let everything else go for a while and just focus on one thing, one moment at a time.
This is an edited extract from the book Deep Resilience by Melli O’Brien. Melli is a best-selling author and internationally renowned mental health educator and coach. She has spent nearly two decades helping people develop mental strength and her work has helped over a million people. Deep Resilience shares a simple four-step method to break free from stress and unlock unshakable inner strength. Learn more at melliobrien.com