Welcome to September-let’s do a wellness check. It’s the month we say goodbye to summer, focus on Fall, get back to work or on a more solidified schedule and wellness. It can be a stressful time of the year. Since this month we are focusing on setting goals on practicing mindfulness I wanted to bring one thing to the forefront. We set intentions, goals, but often forget to add mindfulness pauses. Adding a pause especially if your life is always on go can fill uncomfortable. Here are some ways to add those pauses intentionally into your world.
Add a Pause in your Morning
Mornings are rough. It doesn’t matter what your situations are or who you are responsible for even if it’s just yourself-the mornings are tough. With that being said, let’s start the morning on a pause. This will take some getting used to. From getting up a few minutes earlier to setting time aside for you it becomes necessary to start the day on pause. If the first thing you do in the morning is grab your cell phone but not meditate, pray, or have some quiet time I want to encourage you to change that. I understand how distracting life can be. I am a mother of three and wife and there is no time for me daily. However, if we are to retrain our mindsets this month and focus on practicing mindfulness then we need to focus on setting time for us.
If you can wake yourself up a few minutes early. I like to set the intentions of my day by starting before the loudness of commotion begins. Sometimes I go into my home office to enjoy coffee, meditate, or even listen to a podcast such as 7 Good Minutes. These are the time that I reflect on goals, what I want to see in the day. To be honest the more days I do this I notice the atmosphere of my home changes as well.
End your Day with A Pause-Wellness Check-in
I know you are tired but take 5-10 minutes to end your day on a pause. This may mean less television time or being intentional on that sleep you been craving to increase this season. Get quiet and clear about showing yourself just how much of a priority you are. Make the time and take it. End the night with a little tea or your favorite drink. Write in your journal, read a book that has been on your mind, or simply write your goals for the next day. This practice of pausing before you sleep could aid in better sleep. One you must be mindful of your time. Staying up all night for no reason must change. We got to shift from lack of sleep to becoming more in charge of it. Take the time to set your alarm for when you need to replenish at night and start with that pause to help.
Journal on the Go
I am one who keeps a journal and a good book on me at all times. The second I get to write in it I do so. What if that 10-minute walk on your break you could use that time to journal. Commute to work every day? Use that time to pause. It’s okay to present but sometimes we need a little tap out time. If you are struggling with journal prompts here are a few that I like to use:
- When was the last time you forgave yourself for your past?
- If you could reset start any part of your life, which part would that be?
- Are you living with purpose or purposely sabotaging yourself and why?
- When was the last time you gave yourself a wellness day to regroup? If so long why and how do you plan to change that in the near future?
Exercising your No Muscles
It’s unrealistic to think that emergencies aren’t going to come up. However, remember that everyone’s emergency isn’t your responsibility to manage. If you are able have some checks and balances on doing things until you have had time to unwind or at least decompress from the day. Jumping from work right into solving issues or problems are a lot. This is why commute times are great ways of pausing if life doesn’t afford you a moment of rest. For instance, when I get the kids its right home for snacks, homework, and then whatever else may take place to end the night.
So, I will put my music on, listen to a podcast, or simply ride in silence before I get them. That calm is helpful for me to balance out the rush of the evening. When I was single, I would get off work and before I visited with others, ran errands, or whatever else is on my plate, I would at best change my clothes, listen to music, or simply sit in my living
room before I started my evening things to do. Before you add in a bunch of things to your list, simply let others know that you’re unable to drop things to do things for others.
Be mindful and willingly practice adding pauses to your day. It helps to flush out the stress that we all carry and more. We all have a lot that is required from us but one thing that is required of us is to take a break or pause. Here’s to a wellness boast this month and beyond.
