Category Archives: Mindfulness Monday

#MindfulnessMonday 3/25/19

Posted on by
Reply

Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Meditation is an easy way to start your mindfulness lifestyle, but it takes consistency. So, check out these 6 steps to help you turn meditation into a habit: (1) Choose a time span… (2) Schedule it… (3) Practice… (4) Track your success… (5) Don’t go it alone… (6) Give yourself a break… Want to learn the details of each of these steps? Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video HERE!

MM

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

Breathing Meditation Exercise

Throughout the day, the majority of your minds wandering take you either into the future or back to the past. Accordingly, it is in these mental spaces where you spend most of your life. Because of this, you often miss much of what is going on around you… You aren’t present in the moment, not fully. Your breath, on the other hand, can never be in the future or the past, it is always right here, in the present moment – keeping you grounded to the here and now.

By simply sitting quietly with your eyes closed and focusing on your breathing as the air flows in and out of your body, you are instantly drawn back to the present moment. When you find your mind wandering to other things (dinner, shopping, work, kids, etc.) invite your mind back to the present… back to the breath. Through this type of breathing meditation practice you become more grounded in the moment, allowing for increased focus, improved health, and a heightened sense of peace and joy.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt: Where does your mind wander when you try to meditate? What things do you find yourself thinking about when you should be thinking about your breath and your body?

This type of mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your thoughts with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know how this exercise affected you and what you learned about yourself through the meditation.

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 12 ~ How to Turn Meditation into a Habit

* * * * *

InvisibleWould you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!

*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

#MindfulnessMonday 3/18/19

Posted on by
Reply

MM

Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Sometimes, I find it hard to say no. I don’t like conflict and I don’t want to disappoint people. So, I say ‘yes’ a lot. This usually results in me having way too many things on my plate with not enough time or energy to complete them all. Those that do get done, aren’t always top quality because when you have so much on your plate it is hard to focus 100% on the task at hand. It is important to say ‘No’ not only for your piece of mind, selfcare, and sanity… it’s important because when you say ‘yes’ and then can’t give it your all, you end up disappointing others. Want to know more about how sometimes selfcare can mean saying no? Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video HERE!

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

Self-Praise Exercise

Today, I want you to make a conscious decision to spend the day recognizing all the good in what you do. Give yourself a pat on the back, if you will. Take time to acknowledge yourself. All to often, we spend our lives trying to please everyone else, building others up at the expense of our own self-worth and value. It is important for your mental health that you take time for selfcare and self-reflection. With that in mind, just for today (or more often if you find you enjoy this exercise) put a notepad in your pocket or purse and throughout the day jot down things you do/say/etc. that you’re proud of. It might be hard a first, but as you start to recognize the little things and allow yourself to complement them, it will get easier.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt: Take 5 minutes, at the end of your day, to look over all the things you’ve written in today’s notepad. These are the positive things you noticed throughout the day that you said or did. How did it feel to compliment yourself throughout the day? Can you take a complement from yourself or others? Is it hard to hear your own self-praise or praise from those around you? If so, why do you think it’s hard? What other things can you think of that you’ve done recently that deserve a little self-praise and recognition? It’s ok to be proud of yourself, in fact, it’s healthy!

Selfcare like this can be a very personal thing, but if you’re willing to share your thoughts and experiences with me and my readers, I’d love for you to take the time to comment below. 

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 11 ~ When Selfcare Means Saying NO!

* * * * *

Invisible

Would you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!

*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

#MindfulnessMonday 3/11/19

Posted on by
1

Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Stress can affect your body and your health in many different ways; headaches, upset stomach, increased blood pressure, chest pain, insomnia, muscle tension or pain, fatigue, change in sex drive, etc. Stressed caused by pent-up emotions that you don’t express or talk about can lead to what is called emotional constipation. Want to know more about emotional constipation? Check out today’s episode of #MindfulnessMonday HERE!

emotional c

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

Body Awareness Exercise
The Long, Slow Stretch…

Take a second to just appreciate the sensation of your body stretching. You can do this exercise standing, sitting, or laying down. Move your body, stretching your arms, legs, sides, etc. Notice where your body feels tight and at what point, during the stretch, your muscles relax into the motion. As you relax out of the stretch, ask yourself how you feel. This exercise should increase your awareness of your body. Next, focus on the areas that are more tense or sore and gently stretch them a few more times until they have loosened. Be sure to use caution, not allowing yourself to over stretch or strain the muscles. It isn’t uncommon to feel emotional during this type of body awareness stretching exercise. Allow yourself to open up to those emotions, experience them, think about how they make you feel, and don’t be afraid to cry.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt: Take 5 minutes to reflect on the Long, Slow Stretch mindfulness exercise. Make notes about what you discovered about your body, what you discovered about your emotional state, how this exercise made you feel both physically and emotionally, where do you hold your tension, what areas of your body took longer to loosen up, what areas wouldn’t loosen up, etc.

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 10 ~ 5 Signs You’re Emotionally Constipated!

* * * * *

Invisible

Would you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!

*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

#MindfulnessMonday 3/4/19

Posted on by
Reply

Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip:

childs pose

 

Take 2-5 minutes each morning and each evening to do child’s pose. Child’s pose is a basic yoga pose with 11 amazing health benefits. 

https://youtu.be/bi92twArEMI

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

Exploring your Face!

Take a few minutes, in silence, to close your eyes and explore your face with your fingertips. Take your time and explore each ridge and crevice. Notice the different textures and how some areas are particularly sensitive. Consider what your face says about you to other people. Is it a reflection of who you truly are or do you “put on a different face” to the world? How does your face change as you express different emotions? After you’ve explored your face fully, pat it gently to normalize circulation and to give thanks.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt:

Take 5 minutes to reflect on the ‘Exploring your face’ mindfulness exercise. Make notes about what you discovered, how this exercise made you feel, etc.

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 9 ~ The Benefits of Child’s Pose!

* * * * *

InvisibleWould you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!
*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

#MindfulnessMonday 2/25/19

Posted on by
Reply

Want to check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday Video? CLICK HERE

mindful

Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip:

Stress is just as harmful to your health as smoking and drinking. With that in mind, let’s talk about the common effects of stress on your body, mood, and behavior so you can recognize stress when it occurs and how to handle it.

https://youtu.be/LkEB8eCibaE 

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

Exploring your thoughts!

Commit to five minutes, when you are sure you won’t be disturbed. Sit down, somewhere you’re comfortable, and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing as it enters your body and exits your body. Observe your thoughts through this process, without trying to control them. Imaging your thoughts like clouds in the sky just floating by. Let each thought come into your mind and then fly past without trying to grasp on to any one thought. Don’t analyze your thoughts, just recognize them and let them pass. Repeat this as long as you feel comfortable while maintaining a pleasant detachment from the thoughts themselves.

Often times our thoughts lead us to the stressors that are most prevalent in our daily lives. Glimpses into our mind, such as this exercise, can help you discover the source of your stress and help you to disconnect from it in order to start the healing process.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt:

Take 5 minutes to reflect on the ‘Exploring your thoughts’ mindfulness exercise. Make notes about your thoughts, what they were, how they made you feel, if it was easy or hard to detach yourself from them, etc.

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 8 ~ Let’s Talk About STRESS!

https://youtu.be/Mm4GBuAz2QA

* * * * *

Invisible

Would you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!
*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

#MindfulnessMonday 2/18/19

Posted on by
Reply

Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Make Mindfulness a Daily Practice by doing these simple techniques: https://youtu.be/ZIqTbE-mMXw

* * * * *

motivation

* * * * *

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

What are you naturally drawn to?

Stand, wherever you are, and just look around you. Take it all in. What colors are you drawn to? What do you smell? Pick something up and hold it, how does it make you feel? Reflect on how you feel about the things and the people around you and the benefits they bring to your life. Do this for just a few minutes a couple of times throughout your day.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt: How did today’s exercise make you feel? What did you discover about yourself and your surroundings? If they something or someone affected you in a negative way, why? There are always ways to eliminate the negative effects on our life, so what can you do to change your surroundings to increase the positive aspects?

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 7 ~ 5 Ways to Help you Develop a Daily Mindfulness Practice

https://youtu.be/ZIqTbE-mMXw 

* * * * *

InvisibleWould you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!
*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

#MindfulnessMonday 2/11/19

Posted on by
Reply

mindfulToday’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Mindfulness Doesn’t just happen overnight. Mindfulness is a way of life, a practice that you have to incorporate into your life if you want to see the benefits in your life. It is the small habits, done consistently, that help to make mindfulness a daily practice.

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

WHAT CAN YOU HEAR?
Take a few minutes, in private, to sit with your eyes closed and focus on the sounds around you. What can you hear? Are any animals barking in the distance, people typing on their computer keyboards, wind blowing through the trees, cars, doors opening and closing, the sounds of nature? How do those sounds make you feel? How do they affect your mood? How does your body feel and react to the noises around you? Focus on your breathing, taking long deep breaths in and slowly letting them out. Try to release any tension you might be feeling as you push the outside noises away and just focus on the sound and feel of your breath.
Mindfulness Journaling Prompt: How did today’s exercise make you feel? What noises surround you and how do they affect your mood? If they affected you in a negative way, what can you do to change your surroundings and decrease the negative affects?

* * * * *

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE 6 ~ Developing a Daily Mindfulness Practice

https://youtu.be/2cQFEPs1Y9s

* * * * *

51Pe04-x+wL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_Would you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!

*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

#MindfulnessMonday 2/4/19

Posted on by
Reply

 

 mindfulness

Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip: Keep a mindful journal. By keeping a journal of your mindful experiences you learn to appreciate not only how the experiences make you feel but also how they effect your life. Journaling, and reflecting back on your experiences, will encourage you to continue different practices in order to become more mindful in your daily life.

With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:

Stand with your weight distributed evenly on both feet. You can hold on to something if you need to in order to stay steady. Slowly roll your weight along each part of your feet, starting with the heels and moving along your soles and right up onto your toes. Then roll back to your heels. Continue this motion, for one to two minutes, noticing the feel of the stretch in your feet, legs, and hips. Finish by standing firmly on both feet, your weight evenly distributed.

Mindfulness Journaling Prompt: How did today’s exercise make you feel?

* * * * * 

Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!

EPISODE #1 ~ What is Mindfulness

EPISODE #2 ~ Tips to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

EPISODE #3 ~ MindFULLness not MindLESSness

EPISODE #4 ~ How to Boost Your Joy

EPISODE #5 ~ Tips to Boost Your Daily Productivity

 

New episodes are posted every Monday, on the YouTube channel, so check back often!

* * * * *

51Pe04-x+wL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_Want to take the 52 week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!

*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.

 

Becoming Mindful

Posted on by
Reply

I have been pretty vocal, via Facebook and other social media, over the past 12-18 months about the importance of being mindful and the practice of mindfulness. However, I’m not sure I’ve ever really talked about it here on my blog. So, as I look at the changes I want to make in myself over the next year and how I’d like this blog to grow in 2019, I’ve decided to kick off a new weekly post: #MindfulnessMonday 

 

mindfulness#MindfulnessMonday – In this weekly post, starting February 2019, I will be sharing some mindfulness tips and tricks. I will also share a weekly mindful journaling exercise that can be done in just minutes. Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube series #MindfulnessMonday so you never miss an episode.  

 

CURRENT EPISODES: 

EPISODE #1 ~ What is Mindfulness?

EPISODE #2 ~ Tips to Reduce Stress and Anxiety!

EPISODE #3 ~ MindFULness NOT MindLESSness!

New episodes are posted every Monday, on the YouTube channel, so check back often! 

51Pe04-x+wL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_

 

Want to take the 52 week challenge and experience a more mindful existance? Check out The Invisible You ~ 52 Weeks of Meditations, Activities, and Writing Prompts to Help you Discover You!

*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.