In 2020, it has been easy to feel overwhelmed by emotions and everything that has been going on around the world. Managing through a global pandemic is a challenge that few have ever experienced before and as a result we can often feel like our emotions are out of whack and and like you’re stuck in a standstill. Habits and routines have gone out the window as a life of sweatpants and baking bread have become a way of coping.

With the new year approaching I’m offering a few practices to help you to learn how to shift your focus so that you can stay (or get back) on track.

1. Recognize how you’re feeling. The first step is to start to learn how to recognize what you’re feeling. When we practice sitting with what is, and opening up and welcoming it in, we can start to recognize when anxiety shows up. When we know what’s here we can figure out how to work with it. This allows us to crack open the window of choice, that space between stimulus and response where we can choose our response to a situation instead of defaulting to reaction mode. The Welcome Mat meditation is perfect for helping you to connect in to what is.
2. Refocus your attention. When our old friend anxiety comes for a visit it likes to bring a ton of fear based thoughts with it. One second your sitting there, everything feels fine, and the next thing you know you’re going down a ruminating spiral of worst-case scenarios. Just me? The second you notice your thoughts spiralling (that’s awarenesses BTW) you want to refocus. This is the shift you want to start creating in your life. One of the best ways to do this is to come to the breath. When we focus on the breath, suddenly everything starts to slow down. Our breath. Our thoughts. Everything. Just breathe, in and out, until you feel like you’re ready to move forward with your day.

#NewYearNewYou? If one of your resolutions is to be less overwhelmed and more mindful well then have I got the perfect thing for you.

This January, I am running a FREE 5 day mindfulness challenge inside of my private Facebook group, The Mindfulness Community. It’s only open to people who register so sign up below.

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See you inside the challenge!!