Mindfulness Month NZ is here! Mindfulness Month NZ is an initiative founded by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and The Kindness Institute. Please donate $1.00 or more to my personal fundraising page: https://events.mentalhealth.org.nz/…/mindfulness-month. Currently approximately 1,600 wonderful people follow SEA SOCIETY; together we can reach the $1,000 goal. All the funds go to the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is consciously being present and engaged in whatever you are currently doing – free from distraction and judgement. Mindfulness is checking in with yourself and your emotions, before abruptly acting.
Mindful.org suggest these five actions:
1) Mindful Wakeup: Start with a Purpose. Intention refers to the underlying motivation for everything we think, say, and do. Setting intentions daily can help to align your conscious part of the brain (pre-frontal cortex) with your unconscious part of the brain (lower brain centres): which controls most of our decision-making and behaviours.
2) Mindful Eating: Enjoy Every Mouthful. Mindfully eating wholesome foods can turn eating into a richer experience and satisfy your need for nutrition and your body.
3) Mindful Pause: Rewire Your Brain. It’s estimated that 95% of our behaviour runs on autopilot or ‘fast brain.’ Mindfulness is a ‘slow brain.’ Slowing down the fast brain by putting obstacles in its way and removing obstacles in the way of the slow brain activates it.
4) Mindful Workout: Activate Your Mind and Your Muscles. Instead of simply working out to burn calories, master a skill, or improve condition.
5) Mindful Driving: Drive Yourself Calm, Not Crazy. In situations where you find you are getting frustrated and upset, take a deep breath; ask yourself what you need; give yourself what you need; look around and know that others are facing similar challenges; take another deep breath.
Stay tuned this August, great content is coming! Kia Kaha, Sian x
Photo: Sian Mair.