When was the last time you stopped and smelled the roses? No, really. Can't remember? Well, here is your reminder. You might ask, "Why is this important to me"?. In our crazy fast-paced world most of us are living in the past or the future. Very few of us are in tune with the present (unless you are a monk, maybe). Do you know who our best teachers of mindfulness and focusing on the present are? Children. Children are so in tune to the present world and you know what, they actually do stop to smell the flowers, and touch the bugs, and listen to the airplane flying overhead, taste the tartness of the tangerine, and I could go on and on.
Here is a little lesson on focusing on the present which in the counseling/psychology world is called Mindfulness or Grounding. The key is to remember the five senses. When you are stressed out and need a mental break pay attention to your senses and ask yourself these questions:
1. What am I seeing? Describe it in detail. What color is it? What shape is it? Is it pastel or a rich color?
2. What am I touching? Describe it in detail. Is it soft or hard? Is it cold or warm? Is it smooth or rough?
3. What am I smelling? Okay, you may not always be able to or even want to do this :) But, if you are smelling the roses or rain or a meal on the stove or in the oven this one is great.
4. What am I hearing? Describe it in detail. Is it loud or soft? Is it constant or intervals? Is it high pitched or low pitched?
5. What am I tasting? Here again, this will not always be appropriate. But when it is you can focus in detail on how something tastes, sweet or salty, strong or light? Describe it in detail.
An important point in this is not to judge, keep emotion out of it. If you see a grey sky don't go to "I hate grey it's depressing". Just leave it at "It's grey" which is not positive or negative in itself . . . it just is. Combine the senses for items to make the mindfulness session last longer.
The best thing about being mindful and doing grounding exercises is you can do them anywhere and no one will know. Practice, practice, practice, and you will find yourself having refreshing mini mind vacations during the day.
Now go out and smell the roses!
Here is a little lesson on focusing on the present which in the counseling/psychology world is called Mindfulness or Grounding. The key is to remember the five senses. When you are stressed out and need a mental break pay attention to your senses and ask yourself these questions:
1. What am I seeing? Describe it in detail. What color is it? What shape is it? Is it pastel or a rich color?
2. What am I touching? Describe it in detail. Is it soft or hard? Is it cold or warm? Is it smooth or rough?
3. What am I smelling? Okay, you may not always be able to or even want to do this :) But, if you are smelling the roses or rain or a meal on the stove or in the oven this one is great.
4. What am I hearing? Describe it in detail. Is it loud or soft? Is it constant or intervals? Is it high pitched or low pitched?
5. What am I tasting? Here again, this will not always be appropriate. But when it is you can focus in detail on how something tastes, sweet or salty, strong or light? Describe it in detail.
An important point in this is not to judge, keep emotion out of it. If you see a grey sky don't go to "I hate grey it's depressing". Just leave it at "It's grey" which is not positive or negative in itself . . . it just is. Combine the senses for items to make the mindfulness session last longer.
The best thing about being mindful and doing grounding exercises is you can do them anywhere and no one will know. Practice, practice, practice, and you will find yourself having refreshing mini mind vacations during the day.
Now go out and smell the roses!