Welcome to Indy Maven’s Mental Health column coming by way of Adair McDonald, LMHC (she/her/hers). Check out her website for information about how Adair works with clients, and to contact her directly to book a session.
Mindfulness is easier in the summer. There are ample opportunities to take in the here and now and practice staying present in the bounties of this season. True, it can also be an extremely hectic time, juggling the demands of family, work, hosting, and travel, as well as the unsettling feeling that it will fly by before you get a chance to truly enjoy it. That’s when simplifying and focusing on what is right here for you right now, without any planning or money spent, can be such a great antidote to stress. Anxiety is worrying about what has already happened or what could possibly go wrong in the future. Depression has its roots in old stories about what is wrong with you. The present moment is always right here, offering you proof that you are more than worrying and stories. We are part of the living world that is happening right now, and we can be positively changed and affected by it.
One mindfulness technique that is helpful and easy to access is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise. Often taught to help people interrupt panic symptoms or overthinking, it can also be used anytime you have a moment and want to practice living in the present. The instructions are to focus on each of your senses, one at a time. It doesn’t really matter what order you go in. I often teach it as 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can taste, and one thing you can smell. You don’t need to have the perfect environment to do this in. I like it on my porch, either alone or with people. The pool with your kids or inside an air-conditioned coffee shop with an iced latte works great too.
It might go something like this:
You go outside and sit with your lunch. It’s a busy day, but 10 minutes outside will do you better than answering those emails on your lunch break. You look around and take in the green grass, the purple blooms on the hostas, the plump body of a nurtured bee, the lush cover of a nearby tree, and the sun casting shadows through its leaves. There are the five things you see, and you’re already feeling more present on this day. Now you feel a gentle, warm breeze on your skin, the somewhat sweaty intersection of your backside and the cushion beneath you, the sturdy ground beneath your feet, and your own hair as you run it through your fingertips. Four things you feel, and now you are more grounded. Next, you listen for the birds and notice the coo of a dove among other songbirds. You hear cars in the distance and the sound of the lid snapping off the Tupperware you’re preparing to eat out of. With these three sounds, you’re noticing gratitude coming in for simple pleasures. You take a forkful of salad, marveling at the texture of summer produce and noticing how much better it tastes when you slow down to appreciate it. You take a sip of your cool beverage to wash it down, feeling refreshed. You’ve had your two tastes, and finally, it’s time to breathe in deeply through your nose, finishing the exercise by simply smelling the summer air. Summer seems to smell how you feel—expansive, open, and vibrant. What a lovely day.
Practicing mindfulness at a time when you know you have a few minutes and a pleasant environment to observe is easier than waiting until you are highly stressed to try it. Once you’ve practiced a few times, your five senses will be more readily available for you next time you are overthinking or experiencing panic symptoms. This technique is highly effective in interrupting those reactions and works well to help people change the direction of their thoughts and feelings when they are struggling.
If you’re already feeling upset the first time you try this, it might not go so well, and you could feel some frustration with yourself. That’s totally normal; just try to observe that it was hard and you’ll come back to it another time. If you can practice a few times when you’re feeling pretty good already, it will be much easier to access amidst those stressful times when your thoughts are racing and maybe your heart is too.
I invite you to try this sometime soon. Maybe now? Anytime you can find a place to sit quietly works well. If your mind wanders, that’s to be expected; just notice it and bring it back to your five senses. Once you’re in the habit of this, you can do it anytime. You don’t have to sit still either. You could take a mindful walk, perhaps at twilight, noticing the fireflies while enjoying an ice cream cone. Mindfulness can connect you back to the wise self that is always there inside you, soothing negative thoughts and observing how well you are actually doing right now. You’re doing better than you think you are. Take a moment to observe that.
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