I never understood the power of being mindful until I started practicing mindfulness. As a new mom, I found myself navigating complexities like never before, and often felt anxious and overwhelmed. Now more than ever, I needed to learn how to cope with stress and unexpected situations and maintain a healthy mental well-being for myself and my little ones. That’s when I learned the transformative power of mindfulness.
In this post, I share three of my favorite mindfulness techniques that helped me alleviate stress and enhance my mood with just a few minutes a day.
What is Mindfulness and How Do You Do It?
Mindfulness means living in the present moment. Sounds simple right? Except for the fact that our brains usually have other plans. We all have the ability to mindful, it’s just a matter of learning how and being consistent with it. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect, and eventually, it becomes a way of life.
By being aware of your thoughts, feelings, surroundings, and sensations, you tap into a new sense of self understanding that can help you navigate stressful days. The best part of mindfulness is it can fit into your demanding mommy schedule, without feeling like a burden.
1- Mindful Breathing
When your stressed, you naturally breath in faster, shorter breaths, sending your body into a fight or flight mode. By taking in long, more controlled breaths, you allow your body to soak up a dose of oxygen, almost instantly calming your mind. You can practice any mindful breathing technique you prefer, breathing in for a few seconds, holding for a few seconds and breathing out for a few seconds. My favorite technique is the 4-7-8 method, developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, in which you breath in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7, and then breath out for 8 seconds. You can do this while feeding your baby, before bed or at any time you feel is needed.
2- Mindful Observation
Consider the “Red Car Experiment”. Imagine you’re driving home and upon your arrival, your partner asks how many red cars you had noticed on the road.Chances are, you wouldn’t recall seeing any specific number—if you noticed them at all. This changes, however, if you were asked to look for red cars before starting your journey; your awareness of them would be heightened. This is the power of focused observation. By consciously choosing to focus on an object for a few minutes, you can anchor your thoughts in the present moment and become more aware of your surroundings. This technique works especially well outdoors, where you can select elements of nature to focus on, allowing you to connect deeply with the environment around you.
3- Mindful Listening
Similar to focused observation, focused listening is an exercise that sharpens your sense of hearing. This gives you a brief escape from the noise of a busy home and helps you concentrate on a single sound. Whether it’s the chirping of a bird, the ticking of a clock, or any other soothing sound in your environment, this exercise can help you relax and reconnect with the present moment.
Mindful Motherhood
Crafting out just a few minutes of your day for mindful activities can make a difference in your mood and stress levels. During those especially busy days, integrating mindfulness techniques as a mom into your routine (while feeding the baby, during your bedtime skincare routine, or even in between activities) can be done through identifying what activities best fit your overall schedule. The key is consistency. Remember that taking care of yourself is a priority, and mindful activities is one way to support your mental health.
