Mindfulness: a state of nonjudgmental awareness of what's happening in the present moment, including, the awareness of one's own thoughts, feelings and senses. (More Information)
How Can It Be Helpful? *It can help reduce symptoms related to depression or anxiety *Improve memory, focus, and mental processing speed *Helps slow down our thoughts and prevent us from thinking of the same problem over and over *Improve ability to handle stressful situations *Improve the ability to manage emotions
Want to try? Practice with one of these ideas:
Mindfulness Walk Try going for a short walk (with an adult, or ask for permission), to practice mindfulness. Start by noticing how your body feels with each step (tired, energized, heavy). Then, start to be more aware of your surroundings. What do you see? Hear? Smell? Feel? This is a great tool to try when you need a break from schoolwork. It will help your mind give your mind a reset.
Grounding 5-4-3-2-1 This is not the grounding you are thinking of! Grounding is way to bring our minds back to the moment when we are struggling to focus. It is making an effort to notice the present moment through each of your 5 senses. 5-things you can see (5 red things, or 5 things with stripes) 4-things you can feel (different textures) 3-things you can hear (birds, music, people talking) 2-things you can smell (flowers, candle, lotion) 1-thing you can taste (gum, water, candy)