Mindfulness for Reduced Stress

By Roz Jones

As the holidays come to a close, we may still find ourselves stressed from the different routines, the uptick in social gatherings, the mess of presents and food, or the extra responsibilities of caring for a loved one. This is a great time to take a few moments to practice mindfulness to bring that stress under control.

Being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and reactions to situations is called mindfulness. The mindful approach to dealing with stress lets you acknowledge and embrace it and then let it go instead of running or hiding from it. A mindful person feels relaxed, at peace and is observant.

Follow these tips to help you begin being more mindful and developing your mindset to embrace stress.

• Be grateful every day. Schedule a regular time daily to write down 5 things you are grateful for. Don’t just list the same five things each day. Find little things such as the butterfly that landed on your shoulder or the smile from a stranger.

• Be mindful of your surroundings. When stressed, bring yourself back into the present moment with a deep breath and reset your emotions. Choose to be calm.

• Reset your mindset. Ask yourself what you can learn from this challenge. Stress imprints on your mind to get you ready to handle similar stress in the future.

• Write down what’s causing the stress and find an appropriate solution. Getting what’s worrying you down on paper can help you see a different perspective.

• Do some self-reflection meditation. If you think meditation is just for yoga class or new-age aficionados, you may be surprised that it can be a healthy habit for everyone. Find a quiet space and start deep breathing. Clear your mind so you can self-reflect on calm and happy memories and things you’re thankful for.

• Observe your own thoughts. You often react to stress automatically. This can lead to anxiety. Assess your thoughts and identify what is really happening.

• Be mindful by focusing on what you’re doing, whether it’s eating, driving, or participating in a conversation. Part of our daily stress comes from having too many things on our minds at one time. Learning to be more mindful of your thoughts by focusing on what you are doing helps you embrace any stress of the moment in that moment.

I’ve just launched Shop With Roz, my online store filled with supplies and gifts for every caregiver. You can find a wide variety of products in the store to help yourself and your loved one. Check it out here!

After you have a look through the store, see any products you use and love as a caregiver, and think we should share them with everyone? Let me know!

It’s here, I am so excited to share a new caregiver app called CircleOf….This app will allow you to surround yourself with resources and experts from your community including ME!!!! As you are looking through the app, you will see my familiar face. I’m excited about this partnership and new ways to support you as you support your loved one. Here’s the link so you can explore the app. I would love your feedback and spread the word by sharing the link to family and friends.

Interested in making your own contribution to the Caregiver Cafe? There are guest blog spots open for December. Email assistrozjones@gmail.com for more info!

Visit http://www.rozjonesent.com for more information on addressing mental health as a caregiver and check out my upcoming book!