Mindfulness During Quarantine: Strengthen Your Mental Resolve With This Exercise (Part 4 of 5)

As we all seek to pass these difficult days, learning some skills of relaxation could really benefit all of us.

I want to briefly share an exercise that can help you pass these days of isolation with greater mental health.

This is how it works: 

Sit comfortably, with no crossed legs, or arms, preferably in a straight back chair. Begin by closing your eyes, and making a mental list of all the sounds you can hear around you. Perhaps you’ll tune into the clock that’s ticking, the car driving by, the creaking of floorboards in your house, etc. 

Next, tune into the sensations your body is feeling, for example the floor pushing against the bottom of your feet, your socks around your ankles. Can you feel your wedding ring on your finger, or any other jewelry you may be wearing? 

Can you feel your shirt shift with the rising and falling of your chest as you breathe? Can you distinguish the cool air as you inhale from the warm air as you exhale? 

Can you smell anything in the environment, perhaps from a recently made meal? The list really can go on and on depending on how much time you have. But this is why this exercise works. 

When we tune into our senses, we give our minds an opportunity to rest from worry and regret, and we become conscious to ourselves in the moment we find ourselves in. 

Give it a try and see if it helps you. 

 

For more COVID-19 videos and resources, click here! We here at Cedar Tree Counseling wish you safety, health and peace and rest in these uncertain days.