Be Mindful

Mental Flexibility | 5.24.20 | By Brett Tivers & Shilo Zeller, BSC.

What do you think of when it comes to meditation? A lot of people get the same image: cross legged, on the floor, eyes closed, calm mind. Truthfully, this form of meditation takes A LOT of practice and is something that can be quite difficult for many people. We often forget that there are many ways to be more mindful and there are a plethora of ways to incorporate this into your day to day routine.

In this month’s Community Story, Brett shares how mindfulness walks have become an important part of his everyday routine. He describes two different kinds of walks: a daytime one where he can really take in all the senses and let go of the day’s stresses and a nighttime walk when sensory input is at a minimum and it allows him to be more in tune with his body. At LoveYourBrain, we often encourage our Retreat participants to go for a mindfulness walk barefoot, and take in sensations that we might not be aware of when we’re scurrying from point A to point B. 

Another way to be mindful? We can use simple, everyday tasks as reminders to check in. Next time you wash your hair, you can take a moment to recognize the smell of your shampoo, the way it feels in your hand, and how it feels on your head as it starts to produce suds. You can do this same practice when eating by really focusing on the texture of the food in your mouth. How will you check in with yourself?