We already know practicing mindfulness can help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, and even alleviate digestive issues (read the full article here).
But the simplest, quickest way mindfulness can help us stay healthy? It’s by reminding us to take care of ourselves—it’s self-awareness.
Many of us go through our days distracted too much of the time. Increasingly, our kids do too. As a result, we can all lose touch with what our bodies need.
When we pause, just for the briefest of moments, to check in with ourselves, we’re much better able to make the adjustments in our day that make all the difference: is it time to drink a big glass of water? get up and move around? plan for extra sleep tonight, to head off that cold? eat something before getting hangry?
My friend, “Breathe, Mama, Breathe” author Shonda Moralis, taught me this simple, super-quick self-awareness break—try it with your kids, and remind each other to build it in a few times a day. Maybe set a timer on your phone!
S.T.O.P. Break:
S - Stop what you’re doing! (No, really stop. Just for a moment.)
T - Take a breath. A long one—all the way in, all the way out.
O - Observe. How do you feel right now? What’s going on in your body? What do you need?
P - Proceed. Move on with your day—making the adjustments you need to take care of yourself!
Let me know how it goes!