Active Steps to

Reducing Stress

Life skills for feeling calmer

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Active Steps, tips, quotes and questions on specific fortnightly topics. Currently: POSITIVE THINKING. Please feel free to subscribe to the Blog and join us on Twitter. Your thoughts and feedback are always welcome!
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Daily Active Steps to Reduce Stress

Archive for the 'Be Mindful' Topics

Be Mindful #5. Active Step: Appreciate your senses. Be more aware of, and enjoy each of your senses today. Focus more on ‘now’ – what can you feel, hear, taste, see and smell? Breathe. No two moments will ever be the same.

Sometimes, because we are focusing on the past, future or our worrying thoughts, we miss all the amazing things that are going on around us at this present moment.

We miss what we are feeling, seeing, touching, hearing and smelling.

We are missing opportunities to distract ourselves from our worries, reduce stress and feel contented with the sensations that surround us.

Practice focusing on, and appreciating, your senses wherever you are. Practice making these sensations give you pleasure and make you feel calm.

What not try this now?

Be Mindful #4: “If you do not find peace within yourself you will never find it anywhere else.” ~ Paula Bendry

Be Mindful

Be Mindful #3. AS Choose productive thoughts. Choose to ignore, and let go of, stressful, unproductive thoughts. Let them flow past. Try to focus on calm, positive thoughts instead.

Be Mindful

You can try this when you are focusing on your breathing (sat at your desk, at home on the sofa, on a bus, in a queue…), but also throughout the day – wherever you are, whatever you are doing.

Focusing more on productive and reassuring thoughts can lead to more positive feelings and actions

Be Mindful #2. “Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.” ~ Satchel Paige

Be Mindful

One of the most relaxing / satisfying parts of focusing on my breathing is letting thoughts wash on through, without feeling obliged to ponder them. This helps me realise that they are not real.

Be Mindful #1. Active Step: Focus on your breathing. Breathe in and out slowly… and deeply. You can do this whenever and wherever – on the bus, in a queue, at your desk or in bed. Try it now and practise regularly today.

Be Mindful

We can all learn to use our breath as an anchor to stay in the present, reduce stress and feel calm. It is a fundamental part of our life; the first experience of our life.

Try sitting comfortably, closing your eyes and focusing your attention on your breathing in the following ways:

1) Slowly breathe in through your nose and fill up your lungs with air.

2) Then slowly exhale through your mouth.

3) Let your breathing flow in and out – try not to control it too much.

4) You can repeat this at least 5 times slowly or for a few minutes