Mindfulness is a mind-body approach to well-being that can help you change the way you think about experiences and reduce stress and anxiety. Here at Fitter Food we think this is just as important as nutrition and exercise. Paul Watson, an awesome all round human being and friend of Fitter Food has shared some of his top tips for being mindful this festive season.
The holidays are a fantastic time for family togetherness, catching up with friends and relaxing. It is also a time of abundance for most of us, not to mention the over consumption of food and drink. So my suggestions are holiday themed to keep us mindful and help us stay sane and thankful!
Here are three awesome suggestions for a better you between now and the New Year:
An Attitude of Gratitude
1. Firstly it’s gratitude. The attitude of gratitude makes us appreciate what we have, give thanks for our blessings and leads to greater ‘happiness’. What we put our energy into grows and I find the best way is to have a ritual that encourages you to count your blessings. Gratitude is definitely something that gets easier when practiced so make a habit of practicing it. It can be performed at any time of the day, first thing in the morning leads to a happier more positive day, last thing before sleep actually leads to better sleep. It should be very easy to perform over the Christmas period.
Just Breathe!
2. Just breathe! Each day practice just for 30 seconds breathing in and out and staying in the moment! So for 30 seconds practice breathing in and then breathing out mindfully. You are training a new skill and we are making it a habit!
Get Back to Nature
3. Get out in nature with family and friends. Go walking, running, biking, swimming together and enjoy this time together. For families everyone should go that means don’t forget to include the pets! England is absolutely beautiful at this time of year and there are an abundance of outdoor nature trails and public footpaths. This definitely doesn’t mean this is a better place to go to check your phones! No electronics! Take a ball, take a kite use your imagination, just make sure you are present in the moment, and enjoy it! The benefits? Nature is a natural stress reliever, it works off some of the excess and it guarantees at some stage you will be in the moment.
So there you have it, three top tips for being more mindful this Christmas. Let us know how you get on!
About the Author: Paul Watson (BSc) has spent the last twenty years as head strength and conditioning coach/high performance manager in Australia, India and the UK, in professional sport. An expert in mind mastery with a Masters in Education and Coaching.
