In the mornings I walk to work. I must say that physical exercise in the morning is a challenge; my body feels very stiff, sore and I have low levels of energy. If I did not have to work for sure I would not walk at 8.30 in the morning. But because I do work, mornings are a challenge, not just physical but also psychologically. It is often common that our minds wander and jump from thought to thought (disperse mind) but when your mind gets stuck in negatives thoughts and makes your mood change to worse then we have to actively realise and stop ourselves. We are hurting our mental health, we are ruminating and consuming energy on negative thoughts what won't bring us anything good just sadness, stress and anxiety.
My definition of Dispersed Mind:
- Thinking about a thousand things at the same time with or without meaning
- High level of mental energy consumption
- Stagnation and non-productivity, you can not concentrate.
- The tendency to anxiety and being moody
I have read and explored a lot the topic mindfulness but I did not practise it daily. One day on my way to work I found myself practising the mindfulness walk, in the beginning, it was involuntary, the natural way to detach myself from physical pain and daily anxiety but then I realised that I was practising mindfulness in my walk!
Mindfulness Walk
Walk with the senses wide open, attentive and alert.
Look at the details in things you have not seen before, a front door, a tree, the texture of the sidewalk...
Observe your steps as if it were the first time you go through them.
I like to walk relaxed but actively.
Open your mind to the textures, colours, smells, sounds ...
Look at the sky, appreciate it, feel the light, warmth of the sun, is there wind? Is it cloudy?
Feel your body working, as each muscle of the body activates to take the next step.
Recognize your weight in each step, and the texture of the floor, listen as the sound of your steps changes depending on the surface you step on, stony, boil, smooth...
Be present...
Be present...
You may wonder if mindfulness really works or if it is worth trying, I can honestly say that it depends on whether the person wants to move towards being more positive, willing to recognize and change their psychological state of mind. It takes practice and you have to adopt mindfulness and positive techniques in your routine if you want to feel a real change.
A waste of time? For me that half an hour walk to work is a good break for my mind and helps me to be calm, serene and avoid unnecessary thoughts.
