"Start living
right here, in each present moment. When we stop dwelling on the past or
worrying about the future, we're open to rich sources of information we've been
missing out on—information that can keep us out of the downward spiral and
poised for a richer life.” ― Mark Williams
Here’s my
dilemma:
As a
therapist, I value and teach self-care. However, as a busy mom, I can’t seem to
find enough time in the day! How do I take care of my emotional needs, when
there isn’t time to take a break or indulge in a fun hobby?
So, here’s what I did. I created the intention, a mental
focus, to get maximum nurture out of what I’m already doing. How? By practicing
mindfulness.
Mindfulness is living with awareness. Mindfulness is being
present in your own life in the moment. Amazing research has shown that
engaging in mindfulness can improve health, reduce stress and increase
happiness.
Here’s a mindfulness exercise that I learned from Dr. Dina
Wyshogrod, founder of the Israel Center for Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
(http://www.mbsrisrael.org) . It has helped me focus on what is going on
inside me when I feel overwhelmed, anxious, or anytime really. This exercise
uses the acronym of STOP:
S-Stop what
you are doing
T-Take a
breath
O-Observe
your thoughts, feelings, and sensations (for a couple of minutes)
P-Proceed
(continue with what you were doing previously)
When you proceed, you are armed with awareness, with all the
information that you picked up while you were observing yourself. For me, that has made a huge difference in
connecting to my body, my thoughts, and emotions. Once I’m connected, I usually
make better decisions for myself.
You can try this out! Let me know what it’s like for you.
