Moving Forward with Mindfulness

Back last year, (crazy to think that it was already a year ago) I took a break from my nursing degree and tried to pick of the pieces of my recked self. I never actually shared any of that progress here and it was my intention, so I thought that I would share some pieces of it now.

I did a couple of different things to help me get better and control my anxiety that had become overwhelming. These included counselling, a mindfulness workshop and lots of rest.

The mindfulness class that I did was through the collage that I attended and was recommended by the counselor that I was seeing. We met once a week for I believe 8 weeks each work learning and practicing different forms or mindfulness and meditation. We were encouraged to practice these on our own time and each week talk about what we had experienced over the week. I found that some of these techniques were very helpful and I continue to use them to this day.

The most helpful guided mediation I found can be found here.
I found this one the most helpful because it only takes 3 minutes and it helps to calm your mind and breath and brings the present moment into focus.

These are a few things that I took away from this class.

1. Being observant of my breath can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system and shut down the sympathetic fight/flight response.

2. Some really simple mediations that can help relax and focus my mind to help me continue with my day.

3. A good reminder that it is important to meditate on Gods word. The psalmist David talked about meditating on the book of the law (aka now the bible). This class encouraged me to take the time to sit and memorize and soak in one verse. I use the memory verse that the church is working on for that month.

4. Eating mindfully is hard but fun. Mindful eating is the idea of using all 5 of our senses to enjoy the food that we are eating. Slowing down can helped me to really enjoy the food and I have heard that when you eat slower you generally eat less.

Participating in this workshop provided me with some simple and helpful tools to help me focus during a really busy and stressful situation.  I can place my full attention into the current situation and allow my brain to focus and think on what needs to get done.

Body Systems Challenge

I have always enjoyed spending time at the gym. I enjoyed using the weight machines when I was in high school and working at the YMCA. In a lot ways it has become a stress reliever, especially running, just me and the sound of my breath as I push. I am excited for it to warm up again so I can start running outside again. 

In the meantime my friend Laura and I have been working through this Body systems challenge. Its 3 months of pre planned workouts that focus on losing weight and building muscle. We have almost complete 1 month of the program!  

What I love! 

1. That it is different every day, although each week we are working the same muscle groups, the program integrates a variety of different moves which makes it a lot less boring. 

2. I am learning new exercises that I can use after this program is done.

3. Working out with Laura is an awesome motivator and she is hilarious so I love that. 

4. Its working! I am seeing changes with the way I look. I have greater definition in my shoulders and biceps... aka I have guns! 

What I do not love...

1. I don't get to sleep in as much and miss my morning with my hubby. 

2. Sometimes the workout sessions are LONG LONG LONG! 

As you can see the Good stuff weigh out the non-love so Laura and I are sticking with it! I am excited to see what the final results are.




Those are my guns!

My swolemate Laura
Her before and after pics of since we started working out together

Problems are not problems before they occur

Life is like a ten-speed bicycle.
Most of us have gears we never use.
-Charles M. Schulz

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
-Albert Einstein

Prepare for the worst, Hope for the Best
-unknown

It is important to always stay curious.
-unknown

Problems are not problems before they occur. After a problem has sprouted, it is indeed proper and prudent to address the problem. But to attend to a problem before it manifested as a problem is foolhardy. Refrain from attempting to present problems that are, at the moment, not existent.
-Donika K. Paul

It takes a strong person to get old.
-Aquafit lady

Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you.
-Jean -Paul Sartre