Mindfulness matters.

Now we get it – “Mindfulness” and “Meditation” are very trendy buzz words at the moment! But this is certainly not just about the latest fad. Neurobiological studies have demonstrated that mindfulness ‘training’ strengthens the parts of the brain that work in attention and emotional regulation. Therefore the science is telling us that mindfulness can support us in managing stress, anxiety and depression – helping to make us happier, more calm beings.

For our pregnant and postnatal mums – the practice of mindfulness can aid in the reduction of the stress hormone cortisol. Reduced cortisol levels will lead to a more relaxed pregnancy (setting a calm environment for both you and bub) and post birth it can aid in more balanced hormones + better sleep + reduced stress and even weight loss! That has got to be good, right?!

We all probably know what it feels like to be mind-full! But what exactly is mindfulness?

“Mindfulness is the state of being conscious or aware of something”

It is being ‘fully’ present, in the ‘now’, not dwelling on what happened yesterday and not worrying about what is going on tomorrow – just today, here, right now. Being aware of where you are, how you are feeling and what you are doing?

In our busy lives, our minds can easily be distracted – we can find ourselves replaying events of the past or nervously fretting about something that hasn’t even happened yet! As busy mums, we are constantly planning and shaping our day, running everyone’s schedules through our brain (did we remember their swimmers today?!?) and very often doing 2-3 things at the same time! When we are like this, we lose touch with the present – have you ever driven somewhere, arrived there and you cannot even remember the trip? We certainly have!

Mindfulness allows you some headspace and it can help you to clear that mental clutter. The best part about mindfulness though, is that anyone can do it! You don’t need any special skills, equipment, money or talent and it can really be done anytime, anywhere.

Mindfulness, like any new skill, will need practice. You might find it a little challenging or unrewarding to begin with, but we encourage you to persist – remember you are ‘in training’ and it might take time, just like any new pursuit. Research is proving that the results will be worth it.

We think that the easiest way to get started is with an audio, guided meditation for mindfulness. It is awesome when you are not sure how to start, as it will literally walk you through the process, step by step, via an audio recording. Easy!

Once you begin, your mind will most likely start to wander or your head will start going through your To-Do list (this happens to everyone!!) it is important to not get frustrated with yourself, just catch the thoughts and then gently let them go. Return your focus to the present moment. According to all of the experts, there is no right or wrong way to practice your mindfulness or meditation – every practice is a good practice.

There are a multitude of free PODCASTS and APPS you can download, which each have a lot of different guided meditations. Each meditation can be quite different, so find one (or more) that works for you. For easy to follow and simple series our go-to Apps are “1 Giant Mind“, “Smiling Minds” for the whole family (the kids too!) and “Mind the Bump” which is a great one for our pregnant gals. They are so easy, very clever and in simple terms, break down the benefits of practicing mindfulness AND how easy it can be to slot into your day. So, go ahead and download one now, so you are ready to give mindfulness a go. 1 Giant mind has a brilliant 12 day challenge to get you started – why not commit to this as a way of easing into things?

Just REMEMBER if you are following the steps of the guided meditation, there is really no right or wrong way (and it can take time and practice to get in to the “zone”) It is the starting which is the key.

Anna & Em xo

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