Current research has found that mindfulness can combat the adverse impacts of mindless consumption due to habits, automatic thoughts and unhealthy behaviour patterns. For some ” the added pressure to spread holiday cheer through gifts, food and festive gatherings can lead to excessive behaviors, which has an impact on an individual’s well-being”
Mindfulness is a type of awareness that encourages a trained mind to make deliberate choices which may be beneficial for your pocket and waistline this Christmas.
Research suggests mindfulness consumption training can lead to:
- financial well-being — Mindfulness practice can lead to an increased ability to make skillful financial decisions
- family bonds — Mindfulness practices can lead to an enhanced quality of time and connection with one’s family, along with an increased ability to make better decisions for the well-being of family members.
- Better health choices- mindfulness based practises can help us to make informed health decisions extending to alcohol intake, food consumption and exercise.
Below are some tips that will assist you in practicing mindfulness this Christmas:
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Connect with your body:
A great component of mindfulness is that you do not even need to stop what you’re doing to practise it. Whether it’s the tap of your fingers on your mobile, the posture of your back as you sit in a chair or the placement of your feet on the floor, you can gently bring your attention to your physical sensations. This will stop your mind from spiralling into the future or from over-analysing what you’re doing in the current moment.
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Body Scan:
When practising a body scan it involves listening to the tensions in our body, focusing on them, and then releasing them, either by movement or just the focus of the mind. Practising a body scan regularly will help ease your mind and body.
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Breathing:
Focusing on our breath is a great way to calm you down if you’re feeling stressed, but don’t wait until then. To help you focus practise breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Practising this ten times a day will help promote a healthy stress response.
Here at Zevo Health, we offer a workshop in mindfulness that explores the concept of mindfulness and dispels the myths surrounding the topic. The objectives of our mindfulness workshop are as follows:
- The concept of mindfulness
- Explore myths around mindfulness
- Monkey Mind – understanding thoughts and how they can lead to reactions
- Develop your own practices
- Identify ways in which you can be Mindful in your own day
*This is not medical advice, please contact a medical professional if you think you need to seek further help.
