How often do you glance at your phone, check your email, watch a funny video, or engage in social media each day? We all need breaks in our busy days, and those things can be fun to distract us for a few moments. In fact, finding ways to create mindful breaks can support our overall health and well-being even more.
Mindful breathing for even 30 seconds offers a true break from the stresses of daily life. If we can concentrate on the flow of our breath even just for 30 seconds, it refreshes us—body, mind and spirit. In our busy lives, we forget what a gift it can be to just sit and breath and relax for a few minutes.
Learn how to engage in mindful breathing with this 3-minute recording by Angela Johnson, Peer Support specialist from the Central Arkansas VA Medical Center. This practice will assist you in bringing awareness to your breath while you experience a state of calmness. This practice can also help you manage stress. Mindful breathing can be done formally in a practice or informally throughout your day. Simply pause to use the breath as a cue to bring awareness back to your present experience.
Mindful awareness is about noticing what is happening when it happens. It is paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally. Mindful awareness helps you to be aware of thoughts and feelings. Yet you don’t focus on them. Instead, mindful awareness helps you focus on the present and what is most important to you.
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