Building mindfulness
Whilst at an event over the summer a couple of the attendees said that they were put off by the words “self care” and “mindfulness” as they felt they were a bit wishy-washy and events, activities or products linked to these words weren’t really “them”.
As someone who offers workshops and events that are linked very much to self care and wellness this got me thinking about how wellbeing sessions can be made more accessible to people and how self-care can be seen as just what it is - looking after yourself, in whatever way suits you best.
The Cambridge Dictionary gives the meaning of the words “mindfulness” and “self-care” as
Mindfulness - “the practice of being aware of your body, mind, and feelings in the present moment, thought to create a feeling of calm”
Self-care - “the practice of caring for yourself when you are ill or to stop yourself from becoming ill”
Whilst it is great that the benefits of looking after both our physical and mental health are now widely known, as with lots of things maybe the media portrayal of what they believe self care and mindfulness to be is also off-putting to lots of people. Soft focused images of bubble baths, flickering candles, perfect happy families on woodland walks, refreshing wild swims in crystal clear rivers and serene beach front yoga classes may be regular activities and a reality for some but I am pretty sure that I am not the only one whose life does not look like this!
Yes, I do love a long, hot bubble bath and yes, it is a go to for me for relaxing and soothing away stress. Can I escape to a tranquil bath whenever I feel a bit tense though - sadly not. Is it always a quiet, uninterrupted event involving soothing music and dimmed lighting? Not usually. More often it involves visits from members of my family needing a wee, or the dog checking what I am doing or a desperate need for me to enter the fire-stick passcode! And is a hot bath something everyone benefits from? No, definitely not. I know many people who do not share my love of insanely hot baths and who get no relaxation benefit from a tub full of bubbles.
Rather than it being all about perfect baths or yoga, self-care needs to be about each of us as individuals. Looking after ourselves is important. In a full-on world where everything is going 24/7 it is essential that we find a way to recharge our batteries, to try and keep healthy, to avoid becoming run down and ill and to keep our stress levels manageable. How we do this is personal to us though. Finding ways that slow you down, bring you joy and help reduce stress is such an individual thing. I know that slotting a self-care routine into a busy life is not easy, but finding a way to do so is important.
My wellbeing sessions focus on giving people ideas / skills they can use in their daily lives to improve their physical, mental and emotional health. Even starting off with 5 minutes a day focused on looking after yourself can build a routine into your day that will bring benefits. This initial 5 minutes might be reading a book or magazine, learning some breathing exercises, doing a little bit of gardening, a short walk, a guided meditation, some drawing, jotting down a few words in a journal, a little self-reflexology or massage, a walk with your dog, making a leaf mandala, knitting or crochet, singing or dancing in your kitchen, giving a friend a ring for a quick chat, a 5 minute workout, drinking a cup of tea whilst it is still warm or, as I did over the Christmas period, some mindful building with Lego.
Lego has been a big part of our house since my son was tiny, over the past couple of years though it has been me rather than him that has had Lego sets on my Christmas list! This may not be everyone’s first choice for a mindful activity, but as I said, it’s all down to finding something that offers you the chance to slow down and recharge your batteries. Whilst I love getting outside into the woods and soaking in lots of fresh air, somedays I just want to cosy up indoors in my pjs and on days like this I find building Lego incredibly therapeutic and a brilliant mindful activity. I find it hard to switch off, with my head constantly buzzing. I have worked hard over the past few years to practice guided mediations and am slowly becoming better at slowing my mind down and letting thoughts pass but find the concentration needed to build Lego is great at focusing the mind on one thing and this in turn stops all the other stuff rushing around my head, even if only for a short while. The process of step by step instructions that need to be followed in order to achieve the Lego build helps provide a focus on the present moment, a way of relaxing. Lego may not be your first thought when the word self-care comes up but it offers a route to mindfulness for both children and adults. For me it offers some time for calm creativity - whether that is for a few minutes or an hour. So if you have any Lego lurking in your cupboards, give it a go :)
Lego in the woods seems like a good combination so keep an eye on the website and social media for details of a few woodland lego sessions that I’ll be trialing in 2024.
Lego may not turn out to be your go to mindful activity, but try to make time to explore the other simple self-care options that can be incorporated into your day. Not just the things that social media floods your mind with. But the things that make you feel good. The things that make you healthier and happier. The things that make you focus on the present moment and help quieten your mind.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and peaceful 2024 x