Exercice : practising mindfulness
- Find a comfortable time and place. For example, sit in an upright chair, armchair or bed. Try to stay alert during the practice, but if you fall asleep, it’s okay.
- Practise breathing. Deep breathing will calm your nervous system. It will help you find an anchor, and create a more grounded state when you feel more anxious.
- If you notice your mind wandering off and that you are distracted, simply note this and gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
- Mindfulness practice allows you to take a step back from difficult thoughts. You can imagine letting the labels fall from your thoughts and just feeling the emotion in a non-judgmental way or observing your thoughts as if they were clouds drifting in the sky, or leaves flowing down a stream.
- Take in your different reactions to these thoughts and emotions. Practise being non-judgmental.
- Make mindfulness a part of your daily routine. Three to five minutes a day can make a difference to your well-being.
Mindfulness can be practised anywhere and at any time. On the Toolkit section, you will find a list of mindfulness podcasts to accompany your practice.
