Be Present This Holiday Season!
Written by Danielle Bararuk | December 15, 2019
December can be hectic, overwhelming and financially daunting. The holidays may mean more time searching for just the right Christmas gift, extra-long grocery shops, and endless hours preparing food for family gatherings. Then there are the Christmas parties, the Christmas concerts, the time spent travelling to and from family and friends, and the list goes on. On a day to day basis you may find yourself, like me, folding the laundry, keeping my eye on my three-year-old and simmering meat sauce on the stove all at the same time. I often find myself planning my day, tomorrow night’s supper and the upcoming weekend events all while on my way to work in the morning. Feeling the pressure of accomplishing as many tasks as possible all at the same time and losing touch with the present moment. You may realize that you are missing out on what is going on right in front of you. And then, what’s the point of it all? Why not embrace these moments instead? This is where practicing mindfulness can help you!
The holidays are the time to practice mindfulness more than ever! Mindfulness has been proven to be the key element in stress reduction and overall happiness. The term mindfulness can be described as the moment by moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and surrounding environment, through a non-judgement lens (The Greater Good Science Center at Berkeley University of California). Essentially, allowing yourself to be aware of your thoughts, feelings and experiences of your surroundings in the present moment and to accept them as they are. To me “mindfulness” means to pause in the moment and not think about what is coming next. To be present, not allowing myself to think about what I should be doing or what I haven’t yet done today. But to rather feel how my breath feels as the air moves in and out of my body, enjoy the cold crisp air on my cheeks when I walk outside, feel the touch from my child as they give me a hug, or taste the sweetness of the apple I am eating. I challenge myself, and you, to engage your senses. Notice each sight, touch, and sound and hold onto the sensation for just a moment. Other ways to practice mindfulness may be through meditation, a body scan, breath awareness, or a mindful movement practice. Research has shown that fresh air and the outdoors is a great place to practice mindfulness. Outdoor walks in nature can significantly lower rates of depression, enhance mental health and improve overall well-being. Mindfulness has also been shown to lower blood pressure, improve concentration, and manage chronic pain.
I believe children are great role models when it comes to mindfulness. They are innately more “in the present moment”. Have you ever been in the situation where your child is experience pure joy from something and you completely missed out? Likely you were thinking about changing the laundry or your grocery list while thinking you were present with your child. As we take on more responsibility in life, we often get pulled away from the present moment. I fully believe this is why we need a “mindful practice” in our lives …we just need to PRACTICE it!
Danielle Bararuk
Physiotherapist
Pelvic Health Therapist
Paediatric Physiotherapist
