It is always important to look after our well being and our own mental health, even more so at these particularly challenging times.  These short mindfulness and relaxation exercises aim at making you feel more centered or grounded, to enable you to pause from the constant stream of thoughts and emotions.  It is helpful in the moment but also over time, if you choose to use this on a daily basis, to build up your emotional resilience.

As with all mindfulness strategies, the aim is not to achieve a blank mind but to notice what is going on in our bodies and immediate environment. Noticing things for what they are, without judgement.  If thoughts pop into your head, that is completely normal.  That is what our brains do.  Just take this as an opportunity to be kind to yourself.  Notice the thoughts and then redirect your attention back to the present moment.

Listen to a short Mindfulness session using our senses by Gwendoline, one of our Occupational Therapists.

Nature Calms: It’s a known fact that we all feel better out in nature wherever that is. Pause for five minutes and enjoy this short video, and connect with the restorative effect enjoying the natural world can have. You can replay this whenever you feel anxiety creeping up on yourself.  Maybe find a special plant or tree in you garden, or even one of your potted plants, and sit and really look at how beautiful the foliage, buds and flowers are, and how wonderfully your plant freely shares its radiance with you to make you feel better.

I hope you enjoy my view of nature.

Lesley Oates Complementary Therapy Education Facilitator.