Hello! Um. So, my therapist gave me a few tasks that I am supposed to attempt to complete by our next session, and one of them is 'mindfulness practice', which she suggested under the premise that it will make me feel calmer and reduce anxiety. I was just wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to what I could do that would be considered a 'mindful activity' or that you find therapeutic? She believes household chores -- such as sweeping, dishes and gardening -- are very therapeutic, but I don't really see the appeal (I'm still going to do them, no less, for self-mastery and building confidence). Ah, so, yeah, my question: Are there some things you do that usually help clear your mind or calm you? Mostly everyday things... things you might resort to when you're a little stressed? Thanks! Sorry to bother. EDIT: I'm not positive if this would fit into 'chit chat' or 'general support and advice'. I apologize if I ended up placing it in the wrong section (I probably did, oops).
Meditation is a must do if you want to get better. Try to do it diligently not like the guy advising you to do so. Meditate for at least 15 minutes a day. Set little alarms on your phone every 30 minutes and then focus on your breath for 30 sec before going back to what you were doing. Hypnosis is awesome too. Look for "UltraHypnosis" channel on youtube, he's my favorite. Another method that doesn't really fit me, but actually helped many people and is praised all over the world is "Ho'oponopono". Try to learn about philosophic schools, like stoicism for example. Those people are like impermeable to any form of anxiety. Buddhism too, even if you don't believe it, take it as a philosophy. Try to avoid dependence btw, energy drinks are a no-no. If you want to, drink green tea, it reduces anxiety. I'd also advise you to start exercising if you feel like it, endorphins are a natural way to make you feel better. If you want to, you also can start doing some artistic activities. Dance for example combines both. Sleep enough, at least 7-8 hours straight every night. Basically, take care of yourself and take the time to take the time.
When I'm really stressed, I do long runs. You have to stretch beforehand and afterwards and be mindful of breathing etc., which condenses a lot of the recommended calming techniques into one activity. The resulting fitness is a generally uplifting thing, too. I'm not quite sure if it's exactly deliberate mindfulness, though, because I have a very distinct feeling of mental blankness when I run. I suppose that achieves the same thing. Swimming and cycling do the trick as well, though different people obviously find different types of exercise better for them.
ASMR helps me a ton. I recommend searching it on Youtube. There are hundreds and hundreds of videos out there and each one is different, so I recommend you find what's right for you. I love ASMR Binaural whispering. Just stick in your earphones and it'll sound like someone is really whispering in your ears. So relaxing~
Meditation, art of any kind, weightlifting, running, fixing nice food and enjoying it slowly, having tea, reading a book, watching a film, sitting outside when the weather is nice, yoga, listening to music, spending time with animals (or humans if that's your thing), and so forth.
The thing is, mindfuless just means being in the present moment, and occupying your mind with only what is in front of you RIGHT NOW. This means that if you're doing the dishes, the only thing you're thinking about is dishes, but it also means that you are very aware - mindful - of the task. You're focused on the way the hot water feels, the smell of the soap, all of the smallest sensations. If you're going on a walk, you're not thinking about something that happened the day before, or your plans for tomorrow. You're just thinking about your walk, the sun, the cars passing you, the sounds of people and birds and barking dogs. But practicing mindfulness with everyday activities can be difficult because we are already in the habit of allowing our minds to wander while we do them. It can be easier to start with a deliberately mindful task that commands all of your attention, like coloring (you can find some printable pages online that have really beautiful, intricate designs - it's not just for kids), or indoor gardening, or sculpting small figures with modelling clay, or making collages with magazine clippings. Mindfulness activities can be very enjoyable.
