9 Simple Ways To Practice Mindfulness And Find Calm At Any Age
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Mindfulness is starting to gain in popularity as a method to soothe anxiety, ease stress and be more engaged and present in life. Well, we have some good news for you! All you need to do is practice a few of the simple mindfulness exercises that we have mentioned in our article. The everyday mindfulness activities that we have reported below offer plenty of opportunities for you to stay present, slow down and be more aware of all of your surroundings. For some, one of the most well-known and everyday mindfulness activities is meditation. If meditation isn’t really your thing, here are a few other things you can practice:
1. Single-Tasking
By now, you have probably guessed that single-tasking is the polar opposite of the concept of multitasking. It requires you to focus on whichever task you are working on and focus on just one thing. As much as you want to multitask, start by blocking out everything that is not relevant to the situation or project that you are working on. To deepen this practice, focus on how you are breathing, how your body feels against your seat, the sensation of the air around you, and your body’s structure.
2. Mindful Eating
Mindful eating can turn something that you do every single day into a practice of mindfulness. You can make your mealtimes more fun with a few basic techniques like eating with your non-dominant hand, turning off electronic devices, and focusing on the aroma, flavor, and texture of your food.
3. Monkey See, Monkey Do
Monkey see, monkey do is a wonderful mindfulness game that helps kids increase awareness about their bodies. As an adult, you will need to take on the role of the monkey and lead these kids through different positions. Try shifting your weight in random ways, like sticking a foot in the air, standing on one foot, or even getting on all fours. Once kids get to moving, giggles will probably ensue, and you should just go with it.
4. Calm Cards
Help kids reflect on activities that help them calm down, like taking a deep breath, drinking water, closing their eyes, hugging a friend, and reading a book. At times, it can be pretty challenging to remind kids to keep practicing mindfulness during difficult times. Instead, ask them to make cards that have what they are currently feeling written on them. You can hole punch these cards and add them to a binder.
5. Music Appreciation
For many teens out there, music can be the way for teens to enter the world of mindfulness. In order to practice, all they need is some space where they won’t be disturbed and their favorite music. Ideally, this should be music that they haven’t heard too often. Hand them a pair of headphones and ask them to note the emotions the song makes them feel, how their body reacts to the music, and the sounds that they are noticing for the first time.
6. Mindful Movement
One great way to get teenagers and kids to let their bodies loose and moving is to get rid of any pent-up energy they may be holding onto. Mindful movement also allows for self-expression. It involves moving your body along to music and not worrying about how you look or whether you are a good dancer. It is simply free-flowing, and there is no one way to do this. It’s all about letting loose to the music.
7. Puzzles
Puzzles are an excellent way for you to sharpen your mind, but they are also an outstanding practice in mindfulness and require you to focus, pay attention to detail and stay present. At the same time, they are also fun and super rewarding. Puzzles can include crosswords, sudoku, spot the differences, riddles, jigsaw puzzles, and word finds. Teenagers can also enjoy puzzles just as much as younger kids and adults. You can ask them to reflect on how the puzzles feel. Ask them how solving the puzzle has affected their ability to breathe, their level of frustration, etc.
8. Acceptance And Self-Compassion
Anxiety is something that can often involve resistance and fear. The easiest way to get over anxiety is by accepting it. Once you acknowledge that you are struggling with anxiety, you will have to find a way to reframe the narrative as a strength rather than as a shortcoming. This will also help you let go of self-blame or any shame surrounding anxiety.
9. Eye Gazing
This is a mindfulness activity that is great for couples and is a powerful way to stay connected. All you really have to do is sit and face each other, set a timer, stare into each other’s eyes. You might feel like some strong emotions are coming through, and that is a good sign.
Mindfulness can take some time to truly understand and appreciate, but give some of these methods a try and see if they work for you. Whether you are five, fourteen, or even thirty years old, mindfulness is essential for you to have. Do let us know all of your thoughts in the comment section down below.
