Staying Grounded in Uncertain Times: 10 Simple Mindfulness Exercises
By WITHIN Teacher Landra Eliopoulos
The truth is we have been living in uncertain times for quite a while. The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 across the world has brought uncertainty to the center stage of our lives. Human beings' daily lives in all corners and pockets of the world are being impacted. This latest crisis has most of us questioning our own health and safety. For many this has created an increase in unpleasant emotions like anxiety and fear.
I want you to know that whatever you are feeling, it’s ok, and that you are not alone.
It’s important for us to acknowledge our feelings and allow ourselves the space to feel our feelings. Naming them is a skillful thing to do. Once we name the feeling we can see it as something that we are experiencing, rather than us being.
As a practitioner and teacher of mindfulness, I want to offer mindfulness tips and tools that have helped me in uncertain times.
I found it helpful to learn that as humans we have a negativity bias built into our operating system, which is what neuroscientists call our primal brain. It’s an unconscious habit for us to worry, to be on the lookout for danger, or start to imagine worst-case scenarios. It was designed that way to keep us safe, enabling us to evolve as a human species. Fortunately, by having this awareness we can make a conscious choice to focus on what’s happening in this moment.
As long as there is no real danger in the moment and we are connected to the present moment, we can begin to activate our parasympathetic nervous system which lets our body know we are safe and it's ok to relax.
So you may be wondering, what is mindfulness? Mindfulness is meeting the present moment with a sense of kindness and compassion. Most people associate mindfulness with meditation. While you can practice mindfulness meditation, you can also practice mindfulness in most activities. You can think of it as a practice that invites us to turn up the volume on our senses and devote our full awareness to one central activity. By encouraging our senses to be consumed in the present moment, the volume of the thinking mind begins to turn down.
Here are ten different mindfulness exercises that I encourage you to experiment with:
Acknowledge and allow your feelings to be felt. When you notice fear, anxiety or any unpleasant emotion arising, saying the phrase “this is how it is right now” to yourself, or “this belongs” as a way to invite yourself to feel your feelings. I’ve come to realize that Emotions are Energy in Motion. We can practice mindfulness by letting our feelings move through us.
Move your body. Begin standing, soften your eyes and feel your feet supported by the ground beneath you. Take a few deep breaths and begin moving in a way that your body wants to move. Maybe that movement takes you to the ground or perhaps you want to explore the space around you. Move in a way that is intentional and feel into your body sensations. If you like, turn on music for inspiration to move to.
Spend time in nature. Go outside feel the elements of nature on your skin. Take in the different colors and textures that you see in the trees, shrubs and flowers. If you dare, walk barefoot in the grass or on the concrete feeling into the earth beneath you. Look up to the sky and take in the spacious view above you. Notice the shape of the clouds. Tune in to the soundtrack of nature all around you.
Focus on your breath. Know that there is no “right way” to breathe. Begin by taking a few intentional deep breaths and notice the sensation of breath as it enters the body and fills your lungs and notice the breath as it leaves the body. Focus on that feeling. Is your breath warm or cool? Where do you experience the breath the most? Maybe you notice it as it enters & exits the nostrils, in the expansion & contraction of the rib cage or in rise & fall of the belly. If you like, place a palm of your hand on your chest or your belly to connect with the unique rhythm of your breath.
Listen to the sounds around you. Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Make a choice to close your eyes or soften your gaze on one thing. Rest your attention in noticing the sounds around you. Try to listen to the sounds as you would your favorite song. Notice the different tones and textures of the sounds. Can you begin to sense the space between you and the sound? See if you can notice the impact that sound has on your breath, body sensations or thoughts.
Drink a warm beverage. I find this mindfulness exercise to be effective in the morning as a way to check in with yourself, or in the evening as a way to reflect on the day as you unwind and prepare for sleep. Make your beverage and find a cozy spot in your home where you feel at ease to enjoy it. Before you take a sip, spend a few moments taking in the color and the smell of your drink. Feel the warm cup or mug in your hand. Slowly sip and notice the warmth that enters your mouth, the taste and sensation of ingesting the drink. Take your time devoting your focused attention on the experience of savoring your warm beverage.
Nourish your body. As you begin to make a meal, set an intention to do so with your full attention. Take in the colors of the food and the aromas. Before you eat, take a moment to be grateful for the food and its properties that nourish your body. Focus only on eating your meal in a slow intentional way. Notice the texture and taste in every bite. After you’ve completed your meal give your body the space and time to rest, digest and absorb all the nutrients.
Take a nap. Sleep is so nourishing for our nervous and immune systems. Give yourself permission to lie down and close your eyes. Snuggle up in a cozy blanket. Feel your body being supported by your bed or the couch. With each exhale give the muscles and tissues in your body permission to let go. See if you can feel your eyes resting into and being supported by the eye sockets.
Take a walk. Decide on a route or a path that you don’t normally take. This will allow your mind to take interest in your new surroundings. Walk at a slower pace feeling your feet connecting and lifting up from the ground. Pay attention to your surroundings on purpose and engage your senses. Notice how the temperature of the air feels on your skin. Take note of the colors and shapes that you see. When you pass someone, make eye contact and smile.
Phone a friend. - We all experience loneliness at one time or another. Bring to mind a person that brings a smile to your face when you think back to memories of time spent together. It can be a person that you speak to often or maybe someone you haven’t connected with in a while. Take a moment and give them a call — hearing the sound of the voice of someone we love can instantly lift our spirits and elevate our mood.
Living as humans on this planet we will continue to be faced with uncertain times in the world. Investing in mindfulness and well-being practices on a consistent basis will help us all learn to navigate the world and relate to it with more ease. It is often said in Buddhist text that being human is an experience of 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows. During this time be gentle with yourself. Give yourself permission to feel your feelings. Create space in your day to embrace a mindfulness activity. Most importantly, remember you are not alone. We are all in this together.
Landra is passionate about integrating mindfulness & meditation practices into workplace people development.