Conquering Stress Through Two Easy Steps Toward Mindfulness

Something doesn’t feel right

We can usually sense when something is *not right* with our bodies. An upset stomach, sweating, clenched fists or jaw muscles and rapid pulse or breathing are all symptoms of stress. We need to take action at the first sign of these in order to manage our stress level.

Maybe you’ve heard someone say “Are you ok? You look tense.” When we feel so stressed that others are noticing, we know something is wrong. But it doesn’t have to get that far. We can stop, and manage stress to prevent emotional and physical pain. The practice of Mindfulness can help us accomplish that. Through Mindfulness, we will learn to:

• 1. Recognize the Stress
• 2. Identify the Cause
• 3. Manage and Prevent Stress

Learning and practicing Mindfulness will help us to improve our emotional and physical health.

Here and Now…

Mindfulness is defined in various dictionaries and “Wiki’s”. For our purposes, Mindfulness simply means awareness. Awareness of what? That’s they key here. When we practice Mindfulness, we are aware of what we see, smell, hear… well, you get the idea – all five senses. We’re also aware of where we are and who we are with, as well as what is happening around us. Sounds like a lot doesn’t it? Well, there’s more! Our thoughts and emotions are on the list too.

Yes, that is a lot to be aware of all at once. Don’t worry though (that’s what we’re trying to avoid, right?), you’re mind is strong enough to handle all of that easily.

Now that we know the what regarding Mindfulness, let’s talk about the when. The when is now. We can’t stop or even slow time, but we can focus on our lives moment by moment. That focus is important. Letting thoughts about what has been or what is to come will distract us from finding emotional happiness.

The final component of Mindfulness is the how. This is not how to achieve Mindfulness, but rather how to approach Mindfulness. The answer is – impartially. Our minds will likely label the things we are focusing on as “good” or “bad”. Good judgment is important when we are deciding between thoughts and behaviors that are either harmful or beneficial. When practicing Mindfulness, however, making such judgments will be distracting and prevent us from managing the stress in our lives.

Let’s get started

Learning how to get into a Mindful state of mind is really quite simple. It’s a quick learning process, and once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll be doing it as a second nature. Do you remember when someone was teaching you how to tie your shoes? I don’t remember learning that, however, I tie my shoes every day without a second thought. Once you master Mindfulness, you’ll be taking control of managing stress without a second thought.

Here’s a simple word that will help you with this new concept.

S T O P

One word to remind us how to begin…let’s take a look at this a bit more closely…

Stop.

This, at times, can be difficult. Once we recognize the signals of stress, it could be while you’re at work, driving…everyone has different situations. But the key here is to press the pause button on everything around you. The next step will help us along that path…but they idea is focus.

Take a deap breath…

Slowly…breath in and then out. It’s best done one step at a time. Breath in…concentrate on the feeling of what’s going on around you…don’t focus on that for now though, just on the breathing. In…and…out…Try to, not yet, focus on what’s next.

Observe your surroundings.

While you are breathing in, and out…take note of what’s going on around you. As you breathe, notice the smells, the sounds, the temperature around you…try to take it all in…but remember, something has triggered this feeling. Think of the the sensations you feel as neither positive not negative…They are not what we’re focusing on…it’s the stress that you are feeling. Identify it…nail it down…and focus on it.

Proceed…

Now that you have ahold of the trigger, the primary cause of the stress, you can proceed rationally. Not jumping to conclusions, not reacting irrationally, but it’s a calm, planned, and well conceived approach to resolution.

There is also a method called Grounding. This is helpful if Mindfulness becomes difficult. It’s called the 3-3-3 method. It simple as well…identify 3 things you see, 3 things you hear, and 3 parts of your person that you can sense.

A typewiter clicking away, a vehicle in the distance (possibly someone talking near you that has caused the stress), People around you…but focus on your arms, legs, fingers…these things will help you focus on the here and now…

We’re getting there…

Now…we’re calm, collected, and most importantly, we’ve identified the cause of the stress. It’s time to dismiss it…keep breathing in and out and focusing on that. Relax, stay calm…It’s interesting that some health-conscious wrist watches keep track of our heartbeat. Perhaps they can help. I have one myself, pretty inexpensive compared to many of the name brand ones. Sometimes these can help. The key is to take some time. Follow the STOP method…stay calm and focused.

The 3-3-3 Rule

There’s another simple rule to follow to help with Mindfulness. It’s called the 3-3-3 rule and it’s very simple to follow.

You just take a moment to look around you and notice 3 things that you can See. These can be people, places, buildings, signs.. anything you can see around you. You can take these steps one at a time, or, as you get better at the technique, add them together. The second part of this is to Listen and notice 3 things you can hear. Again, nothing specific to note other that the things you hear be clearly identifiable. Cash registers, music, idle chatter, engines running…your choice, but let them sound in your mind clearly. Lastly, move any 3 parts of your body. This will help you tune in to yourself. Fingers, legs, shrugging shoulders or even tapping a foot. Get in touch with yourself. Once you’ve gotten ahold of the 3 things you can see, hear and move…you’ll be better in touch with your surroundings and be in a Mindful state of mind.

Bringing it all together…

Mindfulness is a technique that can be used to overcome many of life’s difficult moments. Since we’re talking about stress right now, let’s complete that. By the way, don’t be afraid to keep a notebook handy, or a voice recorder on your phone to remind yourself of the process, and the thoughts and feelings you’ve had throughout. But now that you’ve got a clear mind and have 1. Recognized that you are experienceing stress 2. Identified what triggered your stress. 3. Practiced Mindfulness techniques to overcome that stress. Now you are more that capable of handling stressful situations in a calm, practiced and well thought out way.