Dealing With Stress – Tip No. 5

Park the Stress with Mindfulness

We know that many people are put off by the word mindfulness – don’t be!

Mindfulness simply means a brain workout. Working or training our brains to slow down, relax and ‘park’ the stress for a few minutes.

Mindfulness can involve limitless ways in which to focus on something else rather than the pressures and stress we are experiencing.

If you have been following our tips this week, you will know that many of them involve doing or practicing something that creates an escape from stress and that’s exactly the purpose of mindfulness.

The internet is full of mindfulness ideas, try searching for ways that feel good to you or practice with a friend and talk about your experience afterwards.

Here’s my favourite mindfulness practice when I’m feeling overwhelmed with stress or responsibilities…

To stop the worrying thoughts I recite Thích Nhất Hạnh,  a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist and known as the Father of Mindfulness.

A simple but incredibly effective mantra I can do anywhere as I’m focussing on my breath:

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.”

Remember! – Mindfulness takes practice, the more you practice the more you learn how to park that stress.