1. Find a comfortable position:

Sit or lie down in a place where you will not be disturbed. 

2. Close your eyes:

Focus on your breath and let go of any thoughts that may be distracting you. 

3. Start with a small muscle group:

Begin by tensing a small muscle group, such as the toes or fingers. Hold the tension for a few seconds, then release it slowly. 

4. Move to the next muscle group:

Repeat the process with another muscle group, gradually working your way up the body from the toes to the head. 

5. Repeat:

Once you have gone through all the major muscle groups, repeat the process if desired. 

Laughter not only creates emotional changes, but it is also one of the best ways to stimulate your vagus nerve for calm and relaxation. When you laugh, your diaphragm contracts and pushes air out through your lungs into your nasal passages and throat - all places the vagus nerve runs through.

So be intentional in looking for laughter triggers today, or create your own by watching a funny show, animal TikTok videos, or spending time with a friend whom you know can make you laugh!

Sit in a comfortable position

1 Inhale deeply through your nose or mouth

2 Exhale completely while using your right thumb to close your right nostril.

3 Inhale through your left nostril and then close your left nostril with your fingers.

4 Open right nostril and exhale through this side.

5 Inhale through right nostril and then close this nostril.

6 Open left nostril and exhale through left side.

Repeat for up to 5 minutes.

Variation:

The nadi shodhana variation of this practice is to hold each inhale for 2 to 3 seconds before exhaling through the opposite nostril. Gradually increase the length of this pause in 2- to 3-second increments as you become more accustomed to the practice.

GLAD is an acronym to help be more mindful and connected to your day. It also creates a mindset shift toward the positive, away from negative filtering.

G - think of something you are grateful for today

L - think of something you learned today

A - what did you accomplish today? This might be as small as getting out of bed (even if it was only to eat or use the bathroom!)

D - think of something that delighted you today - the sunshine? A funny TikTok video?

Active Self-Compassion

This practice involves practicing nurturing self-talk and nonjudgmentally observing your emotions.

1 Sit comfortably.

2 Think of how you would typically console a close friend in a challenging situation. Think of your actions, words, and the tone you would use with them.

3 Now think of moments when you find yourself in your own challenge. Think of your typical response to yourself in these situations. Think of your inner dialogue and the tone you use with yourself.

4 Now reflect on the differences in these two approaches. Consider how you might feel instead if you extend more compassion to yourself as you would your friend.

Hand on the Heart

This exercise promotes emotional connection and coregulation by nurturing a sense of trust and security within yourself. It involves recalling a moment of feeling safe and cherished in the presence of another.

1 Close your eyes or gaze toward the floor. Place your right hand on your heart, allowing the warmth and gentle touch to connect you with your body.

2 Breathe deeply and slowly into this space.

3 Focus on a time when you felt loved, safe, and cherished by another person. This could be anyone, a partner, a child, a friend, or a pet.

4 As you think of this moment, let the feelings of trust, safety, and security wash over you. Stay with them for 20 to 30 seconds.

5 Observe any relaxation and calmness that arises.

Take a moment and recall small victories from today: even insignificant events, moments, or glimmers from the day can build upon each other when we choose to focus on them instead of the negative.

Some ideas to spark your memory:

Did you make someone smile today?

Did you laugh at something today?

Did you accomplish something - even something small!

Getting out of bed and nururing your body with food or water might even be a small win for today!

R.A.I.N

This mindfulness technique allows us to embrace, tolerate, and nurture negative thoughts and emotions by practicing acceptance and understanding of our situation.

R - Recognize what you are feeling in this moment

A - Accept this feeling or emotion. Don’t try to judge it or change it, just let it be in this moment.

I - Investigate with curiosity and care where this feeling has come from or what it may need from you.

N - Nurture the distressed part of you that is feeling this emotion.

Ice Pack on the Face

Placing an ice pack on your forehead or cheeks activates a mammalian reflex that slows our heart rate and conserves oxygen. It also stimulates the vagus nerve to instantly calm our nervous system.

1 Remove an ice pack from your freezer. If you don't have an ice pack, a bag of frozen vegetables will work too.

2 If wanted, protect your skin by wrapping it with a cloth.

3 Place the wrapped ice pack gently on your forehead or cheeks. Or hold the ice directly in your palms.

3 Take slow, deep breaths for one to three minutes, focusing on the cold sensation on your skin. Pay attention to the subtle shift in your nervous system.

5,4,3,2,1 Grounding

This exercise grounds you in the present moment by engaging your senses, shifting your focus away from distressing thoughts.

5 Identify five things you can see around you. Acknowledge each object by stating its name aloud or silently.

4 Identify four things you can reach out and touch or feel. Again, take a moment to name them.

3 Shift your focus to three things you can hear around you. Name them.

2 Take two deep breaths

1 State one neutral statement or fact about your day

Another way to breathe mindfully is to simply notice the beginning, middle, and end of each inhalation and exhalation (like how a story, or our day has a beginning, middle, and end).

Concentrate on the cycle of each breath going in and out as you breathe deliberately.

As they say, if you love food, spend some time with it! The practice of Mindful eating helps us strive to eat more mindfully each time we sit down to eat. This helps us slow down and be present, and it also helps reduce stress for proper food digestion!

1- Notice your food; the shapes, colors, and textures, smell the aromas. Take it all in.

2- Slowly fill and lift your utensil, also noticing the weight of the fork/spoon as you lift your first small bite to your mouth.

3- Eat the first few bites slowly, being mindful to experience the tastes, smells, temperature, and textures of each bite. 4- Chew slowly, noticing the release of flavors and the sensations associated with eating.

5- Continue eating intentionally and deliberately, until you notice feeling satisfied, and then stop and reflect.

This breathing technique helps us exhale a little slower and more forcefully, creating a stronger sense of release. This breathing technique can be utilized slowly to induce a further sense of calm, or quickly to activate an immediate sense of release.

1- Lie down or sit with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed

2- Inhale through your nose for two second, breathing into your abdomen and not your chest

3- pucker your lips as if you were going to give a kiss or blow on a hot mug of coffee

4- Exhale for four seconds through these pursed lips

5 - repeat the cycle as needed

If you are feeling triggered or distracted with negative or anxious thoughts try this grounding skill to help shift your mind away from this state:

5 - Look around the room and name 5 things you can see

4 - Now name 4 things you can physically feel (your clothing, feet on the floor, etc.)

3 - Name 3 things your can hear (fan, talking, etc.)

2 - Take 2 deep breaths

1 - Say one neutral fact such as what you are having for dinner tonight or what you are doing at the moment.

Mindfulness of touch helps up reconnect to our surroundings and environment. This exercise helps us get out of our heads and back into the present moment.

Take any object into your hands. Explore the object with your hands and fingers, feeling the shape(s), texture(s), and temperature of the object.

This can be done with your eyes open, or closed to focus exclusively on touch.

Alternatively, gather various fabrics such as silk, cotton, wool, and velvet and experience the different textures.

Listen to your favorite song or album today with your full attention.

Notice how this song makes you feel. Notice emotions and physical sensations like smiling, wiggling, dancing, sinking, etc. Try to push away any negative thoughts that may arise and bring your attention back to the present moment.

Variation: You can also practice this as a mindfulness technique by listening closely to the lyrics and their meaning. Be mindful of each word and phrase. Pay attention to the guitar, bass, drums, vocals, or any other instrument that is central to the music. Be mindful of things you have never noticed in music you have listened to many times.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the day or tasks to do that we feel like we’re in a fog! Try this technique to help slow down, re-connect, and re-group: Explain a task (and then participate in it):

1- Take any daily task or chore, such as making coffee, sweeping a room, or watering plants, and break it down in your mind into its component steps.

2- Imagine that you would have to explain how to do this to a child and go into minute detail.

3- Now, actually engage in the task or chore, noticing each step and participating in it mindfully.

Did you know there is a better way to breathe?! Often, when we’re stressed we breathe shallow into our chest, but breathing deeply into our belly or abdomen promotes deep breathing, which helps to get oxygen into your system better, and more oxygen helps us relax our bodies and think better. This also stimulates the vagus nerve at the back of the diaphragm.

more clearly.

1- Lie down on your back on the floor or in bed (preferred), or sit upright in a chair.

2- Place a hand on your belly, and as you breathe in watch how your belly expands.

3- Set an alarm and breathe deeply for a minimum of 1 minute.

In the rush of life, or in the mists of painful emotions, we tend to disconnect from our bodies. Use this practice to re-connect with your body and the emotions it is holding in a safe way.

1- Sit or lie comfortably and settle into a place of stillness.

2- Observe and describe any sensations, tension, stress, as you imagine scanning your body from top to bottom.

3- Gently dismiss any fears or judgments that arise, and take a deep breath into each area of the body where any discomfort exists.

4- Do not have an agenda about changing how these areas feel, but do notice differences that happen as you continue to breathe and connect.

5- Also be sure to notice areas of your body that feel relaxed and comfortable and breathe into these areas also.

I know this may sound scary and uncomfortable, but instead of fearing our emotions (which have NO power to actually make bad things happen) what if we tried soothing that feeling instead.

1- Imagine holding your feeling like it is a baby that needs calming.

2- Calming a distraught baby involves compassion and focus. Babies can tell when we are either frustrated or do not want to be with them in the moment.

3- Our feelings are like babies: They too can tell when we either reject them or are not fully present with them.

4- Holding your feeling and being mindful of it will usually cause it to diminish in intensity. If not, consider distraction skills.

Life is fast-paced so we need to be intentional about slowing down every once in a while. Today, practice completing an everyday task 25% slower and see how you feel:

1- Choose an everyday task like brushing your hair, making your cup of morning coffee, or anything you typically rush through.

2- While completing the task, purposefully slow down to moving 25% slower than you normally would. Lift your arms slower, make slower brush strokes, turn your body slower, walk up the steps slower.

3- While you focus on moving slower, notice the sensations of these mindful movements or any other qualities of the task you are performing.

S.T.O.P

This mindfulness technique will help you shift away from negative thoughts and emotions back into the present moment.

S - Stop - simply stop

T- Take a long, deep breath all the way into your abdomen

O - Observe what you are feeling or thinking as you would a passing cloud. Do not allow any judgement about these thoughts of feelings, and do not engage with these with further thoughts, etc.

P - Proceed with an action or a task.