For people who have been traumatized, and their brain and central nervous systems changed because of it, “self awareness” is at the very core of the recovery process. Self awareness is achieved by “mindfulness”. It calms the sympathetic nervous system, so it’s less likely to go into “fight or flight mode”, which is an ongoing problem for many of these folks, including myself. Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, in his bestselling book, “The Body Keeps The Score; Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma”, discusses how mindfulness also gives these people a “lense” to collect those fragmented and scattered reactive energies of the mind and allows it (those potent energies) to transform into focused efforts to coherently categorize their inner experiences for well adjusted living and problem solving.
Here are some simple ways to practice mindfulness in your daily life, which don’t involve having to go into full blown “meditative mode”, which can be very difficult for victims of abuse or trauma because, well, our minds bounce all over the place and are very difficult to quiet and clear!
- Take a walk🚶♀️🚶♀️🚶♀️, and walk like you have no destination in mind.➡
We are constantly on the “Gooooo”… which means we are always preoccupied with what we need to do and we have those long checklists in our minds that must be checked off in a timely manner. Deadlines and time constraints define us. Life gets crazy. We never feel like we can just “be” for a while, just soak in that present moment and reap all it has to offer. Taking a walk with no destination in mind, is a great way to do just that! Walk in any pace that feels most comfortable to you and try to focus on the sounds around you, ( birds chirping, kids laughing, cars driving by) and the different smells you encounter. You don’t have to concern yourself with which direction you need to go or what time you need to be anywhere. I love walking and do it often. I have found that not only does it facilitate mindfulness, and clears my mind, but it’s a great way to release anxiety and that extra “nervous energy” that plague people like us. The act of walking itself is great for the heart, lungs, muscles and joints. Walking as exercise also releases serotonin (the feel good hormone) which increases mood and self-esteem!
- Give gratitude at meal time.🍓🥦🥩
When we are “hangry” or starving, we tend to shovel our food down before we can really even taste it, especially if we are busy multi-tasking as many of us are when we eat. We are not usually thinking about the process of how the food got to our plate or how the nutrients derived from that food fuel, heal and protect our bodies in various ways. A great way to practice mindfulness and slow yourself down and get re-centered is during meal time. “Conscious Chewing” is a great way to accomplish that! As you chew, think about the process of how the food was grown or raised, how it was delivered to the store, method of preparation and how it looks on your plate. Think about the taste of the food in your mouth as you are chewing it and finally, give gratitude for all the important nutrients that will fuel your body.
- Unwind Before Bedtime.😴
Approximately 30 minutes before you go to bed, turn off all electronics including the tv. By doing this, you are allowing your mind and body to relax a bit. Allow your body to just relax and sprawl on the bed in a comfortable position. Take a few long slow deep breaths, which will allow your body to further melt into the bed. As you begin to relax, focus on feeling the tension and stress leaving each muscle, actually visualize this happening. Try not to think about what happened that day, or anything else that may distress or re-direct your attention from this peaceful state. Try to stay in this “zone’ as long as you can. Soon you will feel tension melt away and you’ll hopefully be off to a good night’s rest!
- Be “Mindfully Mobile”🚗
Being in your car is the perfect time to practice mindfulness! This will also keep you more focused on the task at hand, namely getting safely to your desired destination. The next time you are in your vehicle and you are stopped at a red light, instead of reaching for your phone, try focusing on the red light and take a few long slow deep breaths and exhale completely each time. This will slow down your frustration and corresponding raise in blood pressure and hormones released due to your negative reaction of getting caught in that damn red light!
💐Practicing mindfulness, well…takes practice! Doing a little bit each day will really go a long way in your ability to tap into it at will and have command over it. When you are able to reach this level, mindfulness can be used as a tool to heal and grow. It will be your SUPERPOWER!!!!💐