How Stay at Home Moms Can Benefit From Mindfulness and Meditation

Photo by Michal Jarmoluk/PixabayHEALTH FEATURES MEDITATION

Susyn Reeve, mindfulness expert and author of The Wholehearted Life: Big Changes and Greater Happiness Week by Week, recommends the following simple three-step program if you’re ready to try mindfulness.

Three Step Mindfulness Practice

1. Acknowledge what you are feeling right now. Whenever you are feeling depressed, overwhelmed, at your wits end or distressed with on-going demands of being a stay-at-home mom, and you want to transform those energy zapping feelings, you must begin by acknowledging where you are. Think of it like a GPS—you must record your current location in order to arrive at your desired destination.

2. Choose your desired result; once you know your starting point, state your desired result. Some examples are, I choose to be calm, be happy, enjoy this day, acknowledge my accomplishments, or be grateful for this day

3. Take five conscious deep breaths to clear your mind and relax your body—ideally do this when not engaged in another activity, but as all moms know, this is not always possible. If you cannot, at the moment, follow the instructions below, you can do this with your eyes open as you complete another task—what is important is where you focus and direct your attention.

•Make yourself comfortable
•Close your eyes
•Focus your attention on your breath as you take five full conscious deep breaths, inhaling a sense of calming relaxation and exhaling any undue stress or tension
•With your eyes closed, affirm your desired result by saying, I choose [Insert your desired result here].
•Open your eyes and continue with your day

Note, if you are new to meditation or mindfulness practices, be patient with yourself as your learn to use this new skill.

For full article, click here: https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/03/how-stay-at-home-moms-can-benefit-from-mindfulness.html?a=1