I wonder what the temperature of the water is like, I wonder how the items I am washing up feels, I wonder what sounds I can hear, I wonder if I can still smell whatever it is I have just cooked. Again, asking all of those, ‘I wonder’ questions. Some days I spend longer parking other thoughts then I seem to engage in the tasks, this is a good indicator that things are beginning to get on top of me and I need to look closer at my overall wellbeing.Īnother mindful activity I try and engage in is day to day tasks I usually find boring, washing up for example. So I simply acknowledged it, say to myself ‘Park that for now, I am engaging in this task’ and then bring myself back to the present moment. Fully engaging in the task, anxious thoughts may try and intrude, that is okay, I simply acknowledge the thoughts, if I try and force them away, I find they come back stronger, somewhat mad that I am ignoring them. Noticing the way, the water droplets join together on the shower screen and trickle delicately down. I wonder what the bubbles smell like, I wonder what sounds I can hear. I wonder what the water feels like on my skin, spending a moment experiencing that. One example is when I am in the shower I start asking myself loads of ‘I wonder’ questions.
I make sure I include these mindful moments as often as I can, engage all of my senses and experience the task I am doing. I want to go over how you can include that mindful moment throughout the day and how it can help calm some of those racing thoughts. Finding those moments in the day just to acknowledge what is going on, what emotions you could be experiencing and tuning into the world around you. But, once finding mindful moments and really giving it my all, I was somewhat converted. We are all at the end of the day, very different. I understand it may not work for everyone, that is okay. I will hold my hands up here and admit, I was one of those who absolutely hated the idea of mindfulness. Mindfulness is often criticised and has been branded as being ‘fluffy’ and ‘hippielike’!