With our hectic lifestyles and high stressed jobs, we are constantly in a state of fight or flight. Never knowing whether we are coming or going and being sucked into a world with a worrying increase in meatal issues. Its at this time we need to serious sit back and reflect on life and understand if our lifestyles are making us sicker.
Make Mindfulness your main goal
Mindfulness means being present in your own body. We are told to get to know our won bodies, but do we truly know how to. Here’s how we can get started:
- Take notice of your surroundings and enjoy what makes you feel good.
- Be present in the now. Don’t worry about what happened in the past or look too far into the future. Enjoy the time you have now.
- Become aware of your body it can tell a thousand stories. That gut feeling you have is normally always right so make sure to listen to it.
- Take time to breath. We never truly just stop and breath. Our Pilates breath can help us get back in tune wit our body.
Breath Awareness
As I said above the breath is simply forgotten about. We take breathing for granted. Remember that breathing is the first act of life and the last. Without it we purely would not exist. Breathing regulates all the systems in the body and is a stress reducer for the nervous system. The entire respiratory system affects our body physically, emotionally and cognitively. Breathing practice can increase our metabolic rate ad creates inner awareness both physically and mentally.
Movement Awareness
Focusing on and being aware of the way the body moves is important, so we are able to look after our bodies and minds in unison. Research has found that what we program in our mind will have a direct effect on the way we function both physically and mentally.
When moving with awareness and purpose, you create closer connection to one’s whole self. Here we begin to look at the importance of Pilates and its approach at helping you both in mind and body.
Mindfulness and Injury Prevention
Being mindful during movement not only assist in self-motivation, but can also help prevent injury. When walking take notice of how you are moving. Are your hips swaying side to side? Does your upper torso feel like a robot? Am I breathing easily or am I tense? Are your shoes comfortable to walk in? Do you have your bag on one shoulder and is it full of stuff you don’t really need?
Be aware and then use this awareness to maybe even out the straps and have a backpack, lighten the load a little, and walk with more control over the body.
A Mindfulness Approach to Food
The last time you ate did you sit there and take eat bite slowly and not inhale your food? Did you take the time to chew your food before the next mouthful wet in? Did you sit at a table or on the sofa? Where you on social media while eating feeling sorry for yourself while you scroll through everyone’s ‘perfect’ life?
Take time over your food. Make sure to chew it all before that next bite. Be aware of how much you are eating and the quantity on the plate. Sit at a table and not on the sofa and remove all electronic devices. Be in the moment when you eat. We should learn to love our food as it is nourishing our bodies.
To make any changes we must be aware of the ‘here and now’ and the patterns we have established both physically and mentally. Mindfulness helps us to become more connected with ourselves and to find ways to make positive changes in our lives. By paying attention to the small details we can make miraculous changes. See yourself become happier, healthier and able to live in the moment!
Beth