We know that it can be hard to stay grounded in this busy digital world that we live in. Sometimes life can feel overwhelming and taxing, and it is difficult to find ways to feel calm, to focus on the present, and soften up the tension within your body.
BeachCandy wants to help its fabulous BC Babes, so we’ve collected some simple mindfulness tasks that you can practice to improve your wellness. You can apply these exercises to your day to day life, or just as needed. You know what your body and mind needs best.
#1 - Just Take a Moment
A quick body scan can bring you back into the present moment and help you to feel at one with yourself. Take a moment to engage in deep breathing, close your eyes (if you want), and acknowledge the physical sensations you might encounter throughout your body at this moment.
Do your feet hurt? Is there tension in your forehead? How do your legs feel?
Your mind may wander, and that’s alright! Just see and accept those thoughts, and come back to the body scan that’s at hand. This simple exercise can be done for just one or five minutes during your day.
#2 - Bring Your Mind Back to the Present
It’s so easy to get swept away in our work and whatever we have going on that we often find ourselves looking to the future or yearning about the past. And while it’s good to have things to look forward to, it’s also crucial that we are in the moment. Because once it’s gone, we can’t get it back.
If you find yourself daydreaming about what you wish you could be doing or not doing, take a second to understand these thoughts. Give these ponderings your full attention, and acknowledge that you may be distracted at the moment. And that’s totally fine. Accept these thoughts, and take deep breaths to try to ground yourself back into the present.
Being in the moment, even though it may be a challenging time, is so important to our wellness. With yearning comes a feeling that you’re lacking something, which can cause stress. Be in the here and now with us, and let's enjoy this moment together.
#3 - Grounding
You may have heard of grounding exercises because they’re pretty common, and for a good reason! They are a fantastic way of being more mindful throughout the day.
Just ask yourself a couple simple questions:
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What are three to five things that I can hear?
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What are three to five that I can feel?
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What are three to five things that I can see?
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What are three to five things that I can taste?
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What are three to five things that I can smell?
These straightforward questions have an amazing ability to reduce stress and also help you to really pay attention to the environment that you’re in. Checking in on your five senses is important, and grounding helps you to do just that.
#4 - Meditation for the Day
Meditation has become an extremely popular practice and plays a significant role in people’s everyday routines. You can engage in guided meditations that you’ll find on apps like Calm or Headspace, and they are also available on YouTube.
There are many different genres of guided meditations that you can find for free on YouTube, like mindfulness meditations or walking meditations.
Meditation practices are a fantastic way to make mindfulness a part of your everyday life. And you don’t have to sit for 20 minutes either! A 5 minute meditation every day can truly impact your life. Try it out!
#5 - The Breath is Critical
Take a moment out of your day to find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. If you can, locate a blanket or pillow that you can rest your head or body on, and close your eyes. Focus on the rise and falling of your chest as the breath expands your ribcage and as it falls. This motion is the foundation off of which we function, and it should be appreciated.
As you focus on your breathing, it’s possible that your mind wanders, which is totally normal. What you can do is acknowledge that straying thought, and bring your attention back to the sensation of the breath. This exercise can be done for just 1 minute, or for 20 minutes. It all depends on what you want to do!
#6 - Meditation for the Night
A lot of us have a hard time getting to sleep, thanks to our blue-light devices that keep us up at night. And there are many other things that may be keeping you up as well. Maybe there’s a problem at work, issues within your relationships, or you just had a really bad day.
If that’s the case, there are meditations and mindfulness soundscapes that you can listen to as you lie in bed. Many are available on YouTube for free, or on apps like Calm or Headspace. These calming sounds or meditations are a great way to quiet those loud and chaotic thoughts that are preventing a great night's sleep.
#7 - Mindfulness While Walking
Like we mentioned before, meditative walking is a great way to be present. But if you don’t want to listen to guided meditation, there are a couple other ways that you can engage in mindful walking. One critical thing to do is to not listen to any music or podcasts, as these things can distract your mind from being in the moment.
If you’re walking on the street, pay close attention to how the soles of your shoes hit the cement. Does it sound different every time you take a step? Are there textures within the concrete that change how you move?
If you’re on the beach, how does the sand feel on your feet? Is it warm? Is it dry or damp? What objects can you see in the sand? Maybe turn around and retrace your steps, anchoring yourself within the path you made.
If you’re out hiking, what do your steps sound like? How does the dirt or rocks crunch beneath your feet? Can you see other people’s footprints on the path? Are there any animals that you can observe?
#8 - Mindful Eating
If you’re into mindfulness, you may have heard about the orange eating activity. This is an excellent mindful pursuit, but you don’t have to apply it just to fruits.
You could possibly apply this method to your cooking!
What does the bottle of olive oil feel like in your hand? What are the varieties of color in the lettuce or kale that you’re chopping up? What depths of smell can you identify in the meal you just prepared?
And when you’re eating, try to identify the flavor profiles that are predominant in the dish. Is it mostly savory? What kinds of spices can you identify? Or maybe, what are the different textures that you feel? How does the crispiness of a carrot compare to the texture of rice?
#9 - Yoga for Mindfulness
When people hear the term mindfulness, most people think about yoga and meditation. This is because both are really important practices that can help one achieve daily mindfulness. There are a plethora of free yoga class videos online that focus solely on mindfulness that are fantastic.
Just give YouTube a quick search and you’re sure to find something that will suit you. Not only will your body get a workout, but so will your brain! As we know, it’s just as important to take care of your mental health as it is to maintain your physical well being.
#10 - Chores Can Heal
We know for some people, the concept of daily or weekly chores are just another item to cross out on a long to-do list. But it’s possible to make these activities serve you!
If you have to vacuum around the house, take a moment to observe how the machine turns on. What sounds does it emit? What sensations can you feel as you hold the vacuum? Patiently watch the head of the vacuum suck up all the dirt on your floors. It can be a mesmerizing thing!
Do you have to clean the windows? For a second, just feel the cloth in your hand. Try to observe each fiber and think about the work that was done to create this tool. When you spray down the glass, watch as the streaks of moisture disappear. Does it evoke any thoughts within you? Glass cleaning can be a pretty satisfying process that can bring some calm to your day.
Written by Bridget McIver.
BeachCandy, Health, and You
BeachCandy has been in the swimwear business for over a decade and now we want to go beyond swimwear and resortwear that makes you feel amazing and help you feel amazing in your health and wellness, too! Follow our blog for more tips on holistic healing, mindfulness, and wellness (as well as posts about swimwear fashion trends, of course, like our recent one on Spring Break Bikinis for 2022.) Thank you for reading!