Welcome back to Self-Care Corner dear readers! I hope everyone has been doing their best to stay healthy physically and mentally. These are trying times and we all need to remember that caring for yourself is the first step to wellness. With all the stress we are under on a daily basis we all could use some helpful tips on finding some calm moments. Time to get out of our heads and to live and experience the moment. This can be difficult to do with all we are tasked with in a day. From endless Zoom meetings, helping children with online classes, the endless news cycle, and even just trying to go shopping these days can get really stressful. If that weren’t enough to elevate your stress, many often find themselves worrying either about the past or about what may happen in the future, all while we miss out on the now. When we do this we miss out on a life worth living. I know I personally have spent more time worrying about what may happen than actually dealing with what happened. If this year and this pandemic has taught me anything it has been to appreciate every moment to its fullest and don’t stress about what we can’t control.

“Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.” -Jon Kabat-Zinn

In my attempt to do just that, over these past few months I have really found that guided mindfulness meditation has been incredibly helpful in reducing my stress levels and anxiety. It only takes a few minutes a day and can be done from anywhere, even your couch!  Below is a short mindfulness exercise that you can do while sitting at your desk on your couch or even laying in bed. It is a great way to practice self-care and give your body and mind a break from the day.

Sometimes all we need a few moments to be with ourselves and let go of all that weighs us down. Whether it be breathing exercises,  meditation, or techniques from some of this video, whatever it is you choose to do, do it mindfully and be in the moment. I hope you have found this information helpful to your day in these difficult times. I will be back next month with more tips and ideas to help you practice self-care and find some peace in these stressful times. With a little practice, mindful mediations like the one above can really help reduce the feelings of stress and anxiety. I know these days I need more of that on a daily basis. So, give it a try!   

Don’t forget to  wear your mask and socially distance.

I am writing this blog to be helpful to others during these turbulent times and am looking for your feedback. Please feel free to leave your comments, questions and suggestions under the Contact Me tab at the top of the page. You can subscribe to this blog by clicking on the Subscribe button in the lower right corner. Just enter your email address and receive Self-Care Corner updates in your inbox! Isn’t that wonderful? Till next time, I hope your days are filled with positivity and peace.