Mindfulness

I am now officially on summer break and life's pace is slowing down. (Thank goodness!) I had a fantastic first-year experience at my college and I am thankful for all my new friends and for new lessons that I have learned. These past few days I have been enjoying the quiet and peaceful moments that come my way. I thought I'd share a bit on mindfulness.

It's easy for all of us to get caught up in the hustle-and-bustle of everyday life. If you're anything like me, there always seems to be a to-do list and things to check off the list. But so often, I end up wearing myself down and feeling completely exhausted. I can get so busy that I don't even realize how precious and beautiful life can be. There may be pretty flowers, or wonderful music, or sweet people around me, but instead of noticing and appreciating those things, I'm looking at my phone or running around like a crazy person. But if I look up and just see the world, there would be more joy and less chaos.

I think letting your mind rest by simply watching your surroundings instead of a screen, can truly help relieve tension in your body. Natural sunlight is so much better for your eyes than blue light from a phone or computer screen. And chances are, if you're on your phone, computer, tablet, etc, your posture probably isn't the best and therefore you are only putting even more strain on your joints. Sit up straight, and engage your five senses and do not allow your mind to obsess about work or tasks on the to-do list. Just be and take deep breaths. What do you see? Hear? Smell? Feel? Taste?

Even if you feel stuck doing mundane and tedious tasks, you're not. Sometimes I like to pay special attention to the way I wash the dishes, or fold/iron my clothes. When you allow your mind to focus on only one thing, there's less room for tension and stress. You can practice mindfulness just by eating a meal without looking at your phone or multitasking. Stop eating and working at the same time. Maybe physically sit down and slowly eat your food and enjoy all the flavors. Eating can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience if you allow it to. Actually, anything can be somewhat enjoyable and relaxing if you want it to. It just takes a little bit of practice.

Enjoy your week and don't let yourself get too caught up in stress. Treat yourself well and don't be too hard on yourself. Make time for you to simply relax and unwind. It's not selfish. It's healthy. :)
And stay positive. You can and will make it!

Love and Peace
-Chloe