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The Mental Health Coach

-Amanda Hall

Mindfulness of daily chores

25/10/2023

1 Comment

 
A popular and frequently used technique is mindfulness of your daily routine. It works like this... you use your senses to help you focus on simple tasks that you do throughout the day. Try the following examples...

Washing up the dishes:
Sight: soap bubbles
Smell: fragrance of the washing up liquid
Feel: warmth of the water
Hear: splashing of the dishes in the sink

Taking a shower:
Sight: steam rising
Smell: soap and conditioner
Feel: water on your head and back
Hear: water rushing down

Hanging out the washing:
Sight: blue sky and clouds
Smell: clothes freshly washed
Feel: the fabric of the clothes and pegs in your hand
Hear: wind in the trees

Gardening:
Sight: blades of grass, soil, and flowers
Smell: fresh earth and flowers
Feel: the ground beneath your feet
Hear: birds 

Cooking:
Sight: the food as you stir it in the pot
Smell: aroma of herbs and spices
Feel: the produce as you peel and cut
Hear: sizzling and boiling and chopping sounds
Taste: the flavours - salty, sweet, sour...?
​
You could apply this technique to any task you like - just try and focus on each of your senses in turn and notice what you can see here think feel (and taste).
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1 Comment

My mind gets distracted when I try to meditate

5/10/2023

1 Comment

 
This is normal and natural and happens to everyone. Learning to focus your attention is like strengthening a muscle. We need to keep repeating the same action over and over to get stronger muscles and focus of attention. Try an active meditation eg walking so that you are less likely to be distracted by your thoughts. Pick a time of day for your daily practice. Your mind is like a stage – the attention is like where you shine the lights on the stage. Your mind will keep hooking you and taking your attention off the focus (eg the narrators voice or your breathing) and onto other things (eg. your worries, sounds outside). Just keep refocusing your attention again and again. You will become more confident and less likely to be distracted over time. Just like a buddhist monk – learning a new skill takes practice. Were you confident the first time you rode a bike? No, you had to keep practicing and you got better and better over time. Just don’t give up. There are lots of apps out there to help you. Start with briefer meditations eg 2 or 5 minutes, and work your way up. You could try apps that match your practice to an activity eg walking or eating.
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1 Comment

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    Amanda Hall is a Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years' experience

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