What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a practice used to help individuals focus on the present moment as well as developing a healthier relationship with themselves.
At a glance, here are the pillars of mindfulness and how it can help:
- Focus on the present moment – typically our suffering as human beings comes from our thinking and reliving of the past or from our anxiety regarding potential events that have not yet happened. Actively working on focusing our mind to stay in the present moment can help us gain clarity of thought and relieve our anxiety and suffering.
- Practice observing our thoughts and emotions - with curiosity rather than judgement – whenever we think we feel. Whenever we feel we are likely to judge our feelings. It’s a simple vicious circle and it is very easy to get stuck in it. Mindfulness teaches us how to observe our thoughts with curiosity rather than judgement hence releasing the immense pressure that we can put on ourselves and increasing our self-esteem.
- Practice accepting life for what it is – this may sound simple but we spend so much of our energy rejecting uncomfortable feelings and feeling under pressure to achieve perfection and a constant state of joy
– Patience - With mindfulness, we learn how to accept what is, without entering a narrative that often deforms what the actual challenge is. By cultivating acceptance, we can become more patient and find the calm and clarity that naturally resides in us.
Short on time?
Watch my summary video
What are the benefits of a mindful practice?
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- Increased self-esteem
- Improved sleep
- Decrease in stress and anxiety
- Develop a natural state of calm
- Maintain a good mental health
- Cultivate the ability to be rather than be doing
Mindful Mondays
Mindful Mondays is the name of the mindfulness course that I deliver regularly online on Monday nights at 9PM UK time.
It follows the structure of the adult mindfulness courses delivered by Relax Kids coaches, hence moving from high energy to low energy during the course of each session (1 hour and 15 minutes). My personal contribution is that I have added an element of group coaching to the course which means that every month the sessions follow a specific theme, and they involve 10 to 15 minutes of group coaching. Read below for further details.
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Treat yourself to some inner calm and feel the stress melt away.
Are you feeling like you are travelling at 70 miles an hour all the time? Are you struggling to slow down and find some time to just be, rather than be doing? Are you suffering from feeling stressed and under pressure or are you just in need of some support to be able to be present and live more mindfully?
My Mindful Mondays group gives you the opportunity to slow down for 1 hour every week and is suitable for all abilities.
We meet online, on Zoom, every Monday night, and each month I introduce a different theme such as dealing with stress, stilling the mind, or finding your inner peace.
What do we cover?
Classes are 1 hour long, and they take you through seven tailored steps to relax body and mind, moving you from high energy to low energy:
Step 1. Dance
We always start our session by dancing to some “feel good tunes” for up to 5 minutes. This is to release the stress of the day – you don’t have to be on camera for this step if you don’t feel comfortable.
Benefits
Improve sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, boost self esteem, aid concentration, reduce anger and frustration, improve your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
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Where can I attend sessions?
To view my upcoming online sessions, click on the button below. Courses are 6 weeks long and they run regularly throughout the year.
I also deliver mindfulness sessions to organisations across Lancashire and North Yorkshire. If you are interested in this, please contact me and I will be delighted to help.
