Mindfulness can be an amazing tool for self care. Self care is very important if you want to live a long, healthy and happy life. Here are our top tips for how mindfulness helps with self care.
Working Out
Working out mindfully can be truly amazing. A lot of people when they first get into exercising just do it mindlessly to get if over with in attempt to reap the benefits. Yes, this will help you get somewhat fit, but you won’t be happy.
Being mindful when you’re working out really maximizes the benefits. You’ll find you’re able to work out for longer and more often.
Eating healthy
So, you’re driving home from work a little late and you notice a McDonald’s in the distance. You try to resist but that big M is calling your name. You go through the drive through and end up ordering twice as much food as you need.
This is oh to common for most. Maintaining a sense of mindfulness will help you eat healthier. You’ll remember all of those times you got sick or stuck on the toilet from eating unhealthy food. Then you’ll remember how amazing you felt after eating that salad you prepared for yourself.
Also eating mindfully will help you really notice all of the different flavours and make you want to eat healthier more often.
Hygiene
It’s 1:00 am, you stayed up 2 hours past your preferred bedtime to get one last project done before the night is over. You’ve done it, I’ve done it, we’ve all done it. You forget to brush your teeth that night. Then because you end up sleeping in you don’t find time to shower and forget to brush your teeth in the morning.
When you get to work people seem to be avoiding you, it’s because you have bad breath. All of this embarrassment can be avoided by simply setting a reminder 1 hour before bed to finish up whatever you are doing to get to sleep on time. If you have trouble remembering to brush your teeth or shower, set an alarm on your phone. Eventually you won’t even need an alarm and it will come naturally.
Stress
Stress effects us all. Whether it’s a job you’re not that fond of or difficulty in your personal life. We all have stress and it’s hard to avoid.
Mindfulness will truly minimize the amount of stress in your life. When you’re communicating with somebody and truly listening versus coming up with a response, this can really allow situations to stay calm.
Also, with an at ease mind, you’ll be able to get your important tasks out of the way faster before they all pile up causing you to be a wreck.
If you find you’re at the point of exploding, just focus on one task at a time. Even break bigger tasks into smaller tasks. Be proud of yourself for whatever you get done on your to-do list. Don’t feel like you need to get those 10 things done that were added up over the last 4 days. Really, it’s probably going to take you 4 days to do them still. So just do as much as you can that day without worrying about unrealistically accomplishing them all.
Being Present
Being present will really help you enjoy life to the fullest. Following your breath and really slowing things down helps you appreciate all of the little things. You’ll find yourself stopping to smell the flowers, hearing the birds chirping and seeing the squirrels playing. You’ll get way more enjoyment out of life after you train yourself to be mindful as often as you can.
Back and Other Pain
Mindfulness through following your breath lowers cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol is the hormone associated with stress. Further, the higher cortisol levels you have the more stress is going to be put on your joints. So, whether you’re meditating, or simply being mindful by following your breath. All forms will help a lot in lowering the amount of pain in your back or other parts of your body.
This is not limited to your physical body either. Lower cortisol levels also lower stress like stated above.
Enjoy Your Company
We live in an age were most of us are glued to our phones. When you’re more mindful you’ll be able to be more present around your friends and family.
This helps with self care because relationships are a big part of our wellbeing. You’ll also be able to listen to what they have to say better. They may even be trying to give you some advice on life and when you’re glued to your phone it’s kind of hard to fully listen.
I really hope we helped you realize the true potential for how mindfulness can help with self-care. If you have any questions or wish to share your story with us, please feel free to contact us.
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To your future success!