Welcome Back
Thank you so much for joining in our Sadness Diet and the journey to happier times.
In everyday life, we realise that there is a time for every purpose under heaven, their will be times when we feel sad and times when we feel happy.
Yesterday thanks to Liz Almond, we looked at how meditation can help calm us and change our mood.
Feedback from Yesterday
I hope after yesterday, you will try and include some mediation into your daily routine and make it a habit.
Today – Action of Happiness (http://www.actionforhappiness.org/)
On the same theme as yesterday, today we are going to look at mindfulness and how it can help us to get more from each day and I have taken the information from Action for Happiness which is an organisation I support and love as they are doing so much to help us all in our journey towards happiness,
Bring Mindfulness Into Your Day
Mindfulness is a key skill for happiness and we can do it wherever we are. So here are some ideas to get started - it'll help you get more from your day!
Mindfulness
Being mindful means being more fully aware of what is around us - what we can see, hear, touch and taste. And what is happening inside - our thoughts and feelings.
It's about learning to observe all this but not getting caught up in thinking or worrying about it, so being able to choose what we then attend to.
Why Do It?
In our busy lives we constantly have our head full or thoughts about the future or about the past - what are we going to do next or what are we going to become or how well or badly we just did.
This means we're often not that aware of what is around us, and what happening in the here and now.
So there's likely to be a lot good stuff that we miss (or not so good stuff that we really need to be aware of).
It also means that we often do things more out of unconscious habit rather than fully conscious choice.
Mindfulness has been shown to help us be healthier, less affected by stress, more relaxed, more creative, more open to learning, sleep better, improve our relationships with others and feel happier and more satisfied with our lives.
What's great is it's a skill that anyone can learn and benefit from. It is very simple, and need take only a few minutes a day. But it does take a bit of practice and it may be hard at first.
Keep at it and you'll feel the benefits in many areas of your life.
There are various ways we can be mindful and I have selected to focus on how we can observe mindfully from he article from Action for Happiness (http://www.actionforhappiness.org/)
1. Observing Mindfully (Today’s Activity)
This is about simply trying to increase what we're aware of and our consciousness of what is around us. It only takes a few extra minutes. Here are some ideas to try:
As you enter your house or workplace, be aware of your sensations and feelings as you enter. How does the floor feel beneath your feet? What noises can you hear? What smells do you notice? What colours?
Each time you step outside look up at the sky and see the sky and the clouds or the stars, notice the feeling of the air on your body or the warmth of the sun or sensation of the wind.
Look up at some trees and notice how they are, their different shapes and colours. Look at the texture of their bark, branches and leaves. Notice how these move and the sound of the leaves. Are there any birds sitting in them or singing? Can you see sunlight through the foliage or drops of rain in the leaves? What insects are buzzing nearby? What else can you notice?
When you are going somewhere in the car, by foot or on your bike notice how you are as you travel. Are you rushing to reach your destination? How does it feel? Where are the muscles in your body tight or relaxed? Which are working and which are not? How does your breathing feel - fast, slow, deep or shallow? Does it feel different when you slow down and take your time?
Each day notice an object of wonder or beauty. Take a moment to appreciate the skill and effort that went into an object such as a car, building, sculpture or work of art or the beauty in nature.
When you are doing something pleasurable such as taking a warm shower or bath, petting you dog or cat, stroking your child's hair or sitting down for a moment of peace, be really present. Really notice what it is you find pleasurable about the experience and how it makes you feel.
For more information :-
Instant Feel Good
Sit down.
Breathe in slowly and Breathe out Slowly ( do this a couple of times).
Breathe in slowly and then laugh out loud slowly (do this a couple of times).
Say - I am so grateful and happy to be alive to see another day.
Think and focus on something that makes you feel happy or just make sing and dance to my favourite “wake up I feel happy boom, boom, I feel like dancing around boom boom, and now I am dancing line no one’s watching boom, boom”
Smile – Just spend a few seconds smiling, and then I want you to give out a couple of big laughs (hahaha)
Get your Gift of a smile box, and make use of the items as you continue to feel good and smile
See you tomorrow and may the SMILE always be with you!
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