“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.” - Lao Tzu
We’re less than a week away from the most monumental election in modern day history and most of us can agree that this season of our lives has had enough chaos to last a lifetime. In my practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, I’m passionate about helping my clients lean into mindfulness.
Mindfulness can be a powerful coping mechanism, and I’ve watched the practice help individuals through eating disorder recovery, anxiety, depression and trauma. In my work specifically, I love incorporating mindfulness with psychotherapeutic yoga and meditation to give clients a comprehensive mind-body healing experience.
One of my favorite things about practicing mindfulness is that you can do it anywhere. It doesn’t require any equipment, a special place or big chunk of time. But why does mindfulness matter, you may ask? Because in times like these it keeps us from catastrophizing! Our lives are high-stress right now, so it’s important for us to not feed that stress with a worst-case scenario mindset.
Here are a couple quick and effective techniques you can add into your routine to protect your peace, remain calm and be mindful through November 3rd and beyond.
Download a Meditation App
It’s never too late to dip your toes into meditation, and now there is an abundance of incredible resources that can guide you through the basics. Meditation is one of the most effective mindfulness techniques because it literally changes your brain. Yes, you read that right! Meditation has been shown to reduce anxiety, increase concentration and even help kids in school (because we all know virtual learning can be a nightmare!).
Some of my favorite apps that I use and/or suggest for clients are:
Headspace (Get 2 weeks free then pay $12.99/month or $69.99/year)
Calm (Get 1 week free then pay $69.99/year)
Simple Habit ($11.99/month, $89.99/year or pay $299.99 for lifetime access)
I also offer free, guided meditations on my YouTube channel!
Before you get started, it’s important to remember that consistency is key and an imperfection mindset is a must. You cannot meditate perfectly and, starting off, it’s normal to get frustrated by unwavering racing thoughts. Hang in there. Simply acknowledge when you are caught up in your thoughts and gently return to focusing on slow, deep breaths. You’ll achieve emotional balance before you know it!
Try Thought Diffusion
Cognitive defusion, also known as deliteralization, is a practice that allows us to create space between ourselves and our thoughts and feelings to minimize the power they have over us. This technique, originally developed by creators of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, involves similar processes involved in meditation and then kicks it up a notch to try to reduce any emotional distress.
Thought diffusion is the act of viewing thoughts as what they are, not as what they say they are. It helps decrease judgment and encourages people to see thinking and experiencing the present moment as continuous processes. One of my favorite defusion techniques is “mental appreciation”, which means showing appreciation for your mind and essentially treating it like a separate entity. Stay with me, now. It works like this:
You’re preparing to give an important presentation in the couple days and find yourself nearly in panic mode. Instead of living in the anxiety, you could say to yourself, “Thank you, Anxious Mind. I appreciate you caring about how well I do at work this week, but freaking out about the presentation when I’m trying to have a quality conversation with my friend just isn't helpful.”
If/when the Anxious Mind makes itself known again (even if is 30 seconds later), you respond with similar sentiment as above. Click here for a comprehensive list of cognitive defusion techniques!
Practice Yoga
Yoga is another incredible mindfulness practice. It forces us to get out of our mind and use our bodies to stay in the present moment. Yoga is the act of focusing our attention on the way our body feels, the content of our mind, and the quality of our breath, which come together to help us keep stress at bay.
In addition to cultivating present-moment awareness, continued practice helps to reprogram your body and brain’s physical and emotional response to stress. You don’t need an hour of free time or a fancy gym membership to reap the mind-body benefits of yoga. Here are my favorite poses for getting grounded and calming down:
Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (or supported Viparita Karani pose)
Yup, it’s exactly how it sounds.
Sun-Salutations Sequence
A basic sequence, such as Sun Salutations, are great for beginners and a quick way to get centered.
4 X 4 Breathing
While this isn’t exactly a yoga “pose”, it’s a yogic technique that’s easy, inconspicuous, and effective. I’ve discussed my love for 4x4 breathwork before, and truly believe it's one of the simplest and most useful techniques for anxiety management.
This breathing exercise is perfect in times when you notice you are lost in thought, anxious, or emotionally out-of-sorts. All you have to do is take a deep inhale as if you were going to blow a balloon for 4 seconds and then follow it with a deep exhale through your nose or lips for 4 seconds. Continue the cycle for one minute and note how you feel after. That’s it. That’s all there is to it!
Practice Gratitude
Craving some positivity? Consider adding a gratitude practice to your routine for an emotional reset. I recommend making note of three things you’re grateful for each day (bonus points if you write them down!). You can do this while in bed at the start or end of each day, which makes it a quick add to your routine and give you the opportunity to celebrate life’s little wins: like when your coffee is extra good or traffic is lighter than usual.
The act of being grateful not only can help to shift your awareness to the present but, with continued commitment to practicing gratitude, it may help train the brain to be more sensitive to the experience of gratitude down the line. It’s a win-win for your present and future mental health!
Get Outside and Ground, Literally
There are grounding techniques (like the 4x4 breathing method above) and then there’s actual grounding. This exercise is perfect if you need an instant reset and are craving time away from your desk.
How to Ground:
Stand solidly on the ground. Spend several moments noticing how your body feels. Start with the soles of the feet and upward, relaxing each body part as you become aware of it. Do not judge yourself if your shoulders, neck, jaw or other parts of your body are tense. Instead, acknowledge the stress and release it.
Begin to walk slowly and focus awareness of how your body feels after taking time to intentionally relax it.
Notice your mental and emotional state. Is your mind busy or calm? Chaotic, cloudy, or focused? Make note of your emotions: are you frustrated, overwhelmed, or relatively content? Name the feelings and let them dissipate as you continue walking.
Focus on your surroundings and what you see, hear, smell, feel, etc. Random thoughts will inevitably arise. Choose to acknowledge any thoughts and let them pass.
Now, it’s time for the literal grounding. At the end of your walk, have a seat in the grass, take your shoes off, and sit or lay on the ground. Pay attention to the sensations of the grass against your feet, the sun and/or wind on your skins, etc.
Continue your day feeling more invigorated and focused!
Start Journaling
The act of writing out your thoughts helps to empty your mind, so don’t underestimate the power of this classic therapeutic tool! Whether you prefer prompted entries or free-writing, journaling allows us to identify thoughts and feelings as they are in the present moment. This process can not only pinpoint the root of your anxiety, but also guide you toward a plan-of-action to overcome what’s stressing you out.
These are just a few of my favorite tried and true mindfulness techniques, all of which can help train your brain and bring you back to the now. Remember, no matter how you choose to practice mindfulness, continued practice is key to achieving lasting healing benefits for your mind, body and spirit!
Looking for more anxiety management tips? Check out my blog post on reframing anxious thoughts!