Mental Health Week Challenge: Every day mindfulness

[Shaz51]

That is a good one @Former-Member xx

I will have to try to do that too

[Former-Member]

Good morning,

I thought the challenge started today... well I'm starting today.

I don't always feel like meditating (sitting meditation) but alternatively I can do yoga meditation which has not the same but similar effect. Yesterday I chose mindful housework instead of meditation 🙂 Today I will do a sitting meditation. They are the most beneficial for me, but I cannot do them with a racing mind and thoughts drifting off to the past.

Happy Mental Health Day to all!

Have you made your mental health day promise!?

[NikNik]

Good morning everyone!

Thanks @Shaz51 @Former-Member @Sahara @Former-Member for sharing the goals you have set yourself.

So I'm reporting in after day 1 (sunday). I completely forgot my first challenge  and didn't really have a mindful cup of tea - but I did do the body scan before I went to bed  I did drift off to sleep pretty quickly afterwards. I'm not sure if this was because I had a hectic weekend of the mindful activity relaxed me (maybe both?). 

Lets see how day 2 goes 

I was going back over the Every Day Mindfulness session from the Forums and found this useful tip from Mindfulness Expert & our special guest of the session, Jordan:

....set a reminder in your diary. I also think there are some apps available for that. Best to practice regularly and during transition times eg. before dinner, after you get home, before bed - this helps the body embedd it as a habit

[Former-Member]

@NikNik - Thanks for the update.  And I am pleased that you have commenced one of your challenges.  Hopefully today you can get on top of that mindful cup of tea that you promised yourself.  

Okay, so the challenges I set for myself for this week were:

1. Mindful Walking
2. Mindfulness of Physical Discomfort (a bit like the body scan)

Yesterday I walked around my back yard and took in everthing I could see, hear, smell and feel.  I did not have the opportunity to use my sense of taste.   I live on a semi-rural 3 acre block so there really is a lot to take in.  I saw birds in the large gum trees at the bottom of our block.  I heard a pied currawong as he sat in another tree and continued to call out to his mate, I smelled the scent of horse manure as I walked along the far fenceline (they keep horses there), and I felt the spiny spikes on the lemon tree.  And in between all that I walked mindfully, taking in everything as I walked.  Taking note of how the grass crushed under my feet, how some little birds scattered as I approached to close to their nest where they have 3 babies.  I noticed how there were some mosquitos out already.  

The body scan thing for mindfulness of physical discomfort I also did last night.  I noted how my body was aching, how the electric shock type pains ran down my leg, and the feeling of pins and needles in my foot.  I noted how my heart was beating more rapidly than it should, and that I had a slight shakiness in my body.  I acknowledged all of this and then tried to breath through it, and to just accept it.

[Appleblossom]

This is a great idea.

I will set 2 goals.

1) mindful walking & meditation as usual

2) mindful removal of self from computer! Being less patient with computer and using any excuse to get up and do something else.

I really like the clear strategy of a body scan.  We do need to be aware of the messages our body sends.

[BlueBay]

@NikNik @Appleblossom@Former-Member@Former-Member@Shaz51

I have been doing my mindfulness meditation at night before bed.  Last night I uploaded the Headspace mindfulness app on my phone. It was really good.

At the moment as I am typing, I am listening to some healing music I found on my computer. I really enjoy listening to relaxing music/sounds while sitting or knitting.  It seems to calm me 🙂

How is everyone going with their challenges?

[Former-Member]

Hi @BlueBay

I should have set myself the challenge to be kind to myself, as usual I'm beating myself up because I st a goal and I haven't been able to do seated meditation...

So being kind to myself I acknowledge that I am having a tough time and that it is okay to skip my meditation and do something mindful instead - I was sitting on my meditation cushion this morning watching the trees outside.

I find it so so hard to be kind to myself - when I pay attention to my inner talk, it's cruel.

[Shaz51]

That is soo good @BlueBay xx

Hello @Former-Member xx please try to be kind to myself  as I have not done my  Mental Health Week Challenge yet

 you were  sitting on your  meditation cushion this morning watching the trees outside.-- this is great @Former-Member xx, keep going my friend

[NikNik]

I'm not doing so bad. I forgot the scan last night, but it was because I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

This morning I forced myself to do to a cafe which was a bit of a walk away (there's a cafe right next to work - so I usually buy a coffee and keep working). The walk back was lovely and I kept my focus on the coffee - which was lovely 🙂

[NikNik]

Here's another resource for you all:

It's a mindful meditation from our wonderful Mindfulness Expert Jordan. If you have a few mintues now, you might want to give it a go.