5 Mindfulness Practices To Stress Less

If you're frazzled, rattled, stressed, and anxious, an abundance of studies prove that mindfulness practices can help you. They can also increase your ability to relax, give you more enthusiasm and improve your self-esteem. 

What even is mindfulness though? Simply put, it's all about bringing your consciousness to the present moment. Mindfulness practices are simple and easy. When made into habits, they can change your whole life. 

1. Meditation 🧘

"It seems boring". "I can't turn my brain off". "I don't have time"... All these excuses just prove how much you'd benefit from meditation.

See, meditation slows down fast-running thoughts that cause anxiety and keeps you tethered to the Now, capital N. If you dunno where to start, suss out apps like Headspace and Calm. Youtube also has a tonne of guided meditation videos.

You can of course meditate alone. Just remember, don't be too hard on yourself! I've been meditating for yonks and my mind still wanders... I don't punish myself! I just become aware of the thoughts and flick 'em away. 

How long should I do it for? As long as you want! When I started meditating, I'd set an alarm for legit five minutes. Sometimes, even those five minutes felt long. Now, I meditate for thirty minutes most mornings just because I LOVE it. 

When should I do it? Whenever floats your dingy of course! Personally, I love to do it first thing after I wake up to set the day in order. Others love to do it before bed for a good night's rest. But again, whenever you want!

2. Breathwork 😮‍💨

Long deep breaths help alleviate stress and anxiety. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk explains said: “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”

Get comfy. Close your eyes. Release any tension in your muscles and start by taking a few relaxing breaths. When you feel ready, deepen your breathing. Inhale through your nose and push out your stomach as far as you can. 

I also love to follow along with guide, like this: 

Breathwork doesn't have to be a whole ordeal either. If you're frazzled, just taking a few deep breaths will calm the nervous system that controls the body's involuntary functions. 

3. Yoga 🪷

What happens when you mix meditation, breathwork, and movement? ✨Yoga✨.

Yoga has physical and mental health benefits up the wazoo like improved posture, flexibility, strength, balance, and body awareness. The poses are also insanely useful for reducing the heart rate by aiding in respiration. This effect, in turn, lowers blood pressure and treats anxiety and stress

When I was a yoga kook, I began with a 30-day Yoga With Adrienne challenge, the first video is here:

It genuinely made me obsessed with yoga. Obsessed with how it makes me feel physically and mentally. I loved doing it every night an hour or two before I went to bed. 

4. Practice better self-talk 💬

At the end of the day, everything is a choice. Why choose to think negatively of yourself when you can think positively? When you can create a habit of thinking positively? Ugh... easier said than done right? Here's how to level up your self-talk:

Find the humour - When you need a boost for positive self-talk, find ways to laugh even if it's watching a Tik Tok or a comedy performance. Try to tune yourself into the humour of life as well and laugh on the reg. Your life genre doesn't have to be drama. Aim for comedy instead. 

Surround yourself with positive people - You are the five people you hang with most, so make them a vibe.

Use positive affirmations - I tell myself that I'm happy, I'm healthy, I'm funny, I'm creative, so much so that I now believe it. I think therefore I am. 

Challenge your thoughts regularly - This means being aware of your thoughts. Notice them. Notice your triggers. Then change the story. If your mind says that you'll never find a girlfriend, tell yourself "I will find a girlfriend" five times over. 

Treat yourself like a mate - You wouldn't speak to a mate so negatively all the time so don't speak to yourself that way! Don't be a wanker, basically. 

5. Appreciate 💚

Appreciate the little things. The new song you found, that falafel wrap you ate, the weather, your AFL team winning, finding $2 on the ground...

Appreciate the big things. Your family being healthy, landing a new job, acing an exam, getting into uni... 

The more and more you express your gratitude, the more and more bangin' things will gravitate to you. Not to mention, your brain is distracted by its' anxieties and stresses. Write them down, say them out loud, tell your mates or even thinking about all the things you appreciate before or after you meditate. 

Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it". Don't let life speed by as you sit frazzled outta ya noggin'. Be mindful, be present and be happy enough to grab life by the reigns and send it. 😉