In my experience and according to Chiropractic philosophy of healing there are three main types of stressors that can impact our health adversely:
Physical,
Chemical
Emotional
The third is the one that surprises people the most when we discuss it in a consultation.
Emotional stress can come in the form of feeling overwhelmed, financially, time wise, relationship wise.
It can be a feeling of being unsupported, isolated, out of your comfort zone. It can also be the little things that add up, like lack of sleep and lack of fun.
Mindfulness doesn't take any of these away, but it can be an effective tool or strategy for helping bring some peace and ease into our life.
Being mindful is being present,"in the now", rather than being swept away by thoughts of "what I have to do?", or "what I should have done".
So ... how to be more mindful?
A simple technique is to stop, take a few deep breaths before you start the next thing. Take a break between activities.
Another way is to choose 1 activity a day (or more) and aim to be totally absorbed in just that, say a conversation with your child or spouse, cooking a meal, even as simple as brushing your teeth. (Try using your non dominant hand for even more mindfulness.)
One to get the whole family involved is to eat your meal together in silence, and taste every mouthful. Groans of approval help.
Try putting little reminders around the house, car or workplace - post it notes saying "Breathe", "Smile", "Be here now".
A flower, statue or crystal, whatever will grab your attention and bring it back to where you are.
There are heaps of apps you can download, or you could set aside some time every day to meditate, quietly watching your breath, and letting all the thought spill out without having to give them too much attention.
Being mindful doesn't seem to come easy to most of us in our busy lives.
Try putting it on your "To do" list every day to help build the habit.
Multi tasking is really overrated, and also very stressful. It puts our nervous system into survival or fight and flight mode, raises our cortisol levels and produces an increase in adrenaline. This creates a physical body that is tight and tense affecting posture , energy levels, concentration and even blood pressure levels.
As Chiropractors we deal with these symptoms of stress everyday So practicing mindfulness can save your health and your money.
If that's not a great incentive to give it a try, then come and see me and I'll help you find a way that works for you.
Talk to your friends or colleagues about mindfulness and they will also have some suggestions.
The trick is to try a few different approaches till you find what grabs you. And persist. Like any good habit it takes time and repetition to stick.
Good luck.
Yours for great health,
Dr Vicki Ryan
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