How mindfulness and meditation can help you find peace within yourself, even if nothing changes around you
By Aviva Boxer, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
“Summertime and the livin’ is easy” - You likely know the line from this famous song by George Gershwin.
But what if the livin’ is not easy? So often before summer arrives, we idealize it as being a mellow and relaxed time of year when for many of us, especially those who have kids, summer can get pretty busy and even stressful. Kids are out of school, going to summer camps with different hours and routines and maybe you are still working and you get some vacation this season, but not a ton.
And maybe when you are working you have extra work on your plate because you and your colleagues have to cover for each other while you each take vacation, so work is even more stressful than normal. Then you are juggling extra work plus the kid things plus the pressure to be having “so much fun” all the time because it is summer and that is what is expected! This type of stress and unrealistic expectations can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression and burnout.
Enter mindfulness and meditation - two therapeutic powerhouses that can help you reframe your reality, even if not one thing changes in your summer reality.
Mindfulness and meditation can help relieve stress in the moment and over time - the best of both worlds.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the idea and action of bringing your awareness to the present moment. So often when we are stressed by all that we have on our plates at any given time, our minds are projecting into the future and planning things we need to do next. For all those planners out there, this can bring us feelings of security and a way to feel in control when life feels overwhelming. We could also be projecting back to the past and thinking about how we could have done things differently. This shows up as feelings of frustration and regret and keeps us locked in the past rather than dealing with what is right in front of us.
Mindfulness is a practice that offers us the chance to pause, and come back to the present moment, where we can observe our thoughts and feelings instead of judging them as good or bad. This also helps us to cultivate acceptance for what we are actually experiencing versus what we wish was happening. The beauty of this practice is that it is available to us at any time, at zero cost, anywhere we are in life, in our day, in all kinds of situations. Maybe you are standing in line at Costco with a full cart, waiting for your turn to pay for your stuff and to grab a treat ($1.50 hot dog anyone?) before loading up your car and heading out to do your next errand.
In those few moments in line, with all the chaos playing out around you, try a simple moment of mindfulness:
Take a moment to pause, even close your eyes if you feel comfortable
Take a deep, slow breath in
Hold that breath
Then slowly breathe out.
That total of 10 seconds may be all that you need right then, to bring your attention to the present and feel yourself relax a notch. Present moment awareness is a powerful tool and when you do it as a practice it has a beautiful cumulative effect - it allows you to pause on a more regular basis to check in with yourself to understand how you are feeling and what you need in this moment.
Watch this short video from the mindfulness and meditation app Headspace, which illustrates how mindfulness works and how to relate to the mind and all the busy thoughts your brain is constantly generating:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN6g2mr0p3Q
Mindfulness is a practice that offers us the chance to pause, and come back to the present moment, where we can observe our thoughts and feelings instead of judging them as good or bad.
What is meditation?
Mindfulness and meditation often go hand in hand. While mindfulness gives you the opportunity to find the present moment with awareness and acceptance, meditation creates the opportunity to pause and focus on the breath, and allow thoughts to come and go. Many people think that meditating means their minds need to be blank to gain the full effects, but that is not the case. Our brains are designed to generate thoughts but rather than getting caught up in them, mediation allows us to observe those thoughts instead. Being able to be the observer of your thoughts allows you some space and perspective with which to view yourself and situations. When you can pause for even 5 minutes, and focus on the breath, physical sensations or a word or phrase (a mantra), over time you can experience more calm and contentment. Start with three to five minutes a day and work your way up to 10 minutes. The time you spend meditating per session is less important than the consistency of your practice.
How can mindfulness and meditation help reduce anxiety and depression?
Mindfulness and meditation are well studied and there is a lot of scientific evidence showing improvement in symptoms of anxiety and depression - both can help to soothe your symptoms and regulate your mood. Deep breathing can help to slow down our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and the space and reflection created by mindfulness and meditation practices can help us respond better to the elements in our lives that bring up feelings of anxiety and depression.
Tap into your own abundance mindset with this 5-minute abundance meditation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bBPJ1EEUCc
Curious about meditation?
Watch this video on how to meditate, for beginners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQOAVZew5l8
Give this gentle 5-minute meditation a try:
Looking for some support? When you’re ready, we can help.
If you are feeling the stress and anxiety of summer (or any other time) and need some help prioritizing yourself and your well-being, therapy can help. Book a free 30-minute consultation and we can connect you with a therapist today!