Mindful March: Day 1 and 2

Day 1

Pre-breakfast pause
Sometimes when we get up, we go straight ahead into the day without even noticing how we feel. Today’s mindful activity is just to take a minute and check in to see what’s going on in your body.

How to do it
Before you eat breakfast, take a pause. Perhaps set your phone timer for a minute. You might have your eyes open or closed, whichever works best for you. Begin to notice how your body feels this morning. Not how it felt when you got out of bed, but how it feels right now. Notice the weight of the body sat on the chair and pay some attention to individual parts of the body – the legs, arms, and the bum resting on the chair. Don’t worry if you notice some aches and pains, just notice what’s going on. Can you notice any movement in the upper body as you breathe? Even in a minute, you might find your mind is telling you to hurry up and get on with it! Don’t worry if that’s the case. The mental task master sometimes doesn’t like it when we stop for a breather! But a minute’s pause won’t make that much difference to your schedule and may help you feel a little calmer before you start your breakfast or morning drink.

If you’d like to be guided through this exercise, there’s an audio: and a video.

Reflection

• What was it like to pause before your breakfast and spend some time with your body
• Did anything surprise you?
• Did your food taste any different?
• Did you eat it any faster – or slower

Day 2

Smell the coffee!
It’s easy to get lost in thought first thing in the morning, and before you know it you’re at the bottom of your mug without even noticing the taste of your drink. Today, we’re inviting you to slow down and give your morning drink some extra attention.

How to do it
Before you even start to drink your beverage, spend a moment inhaling the smell, noticing the temperature of the mug against your hands. Take your time while drinking, savouring the taste and flavour of your drink. Notice how the liquid feels in the mouth, and once you’ve finished drinking, spend a moment or two noticing the after-taste.

Reflection
● What did you notice?
● What is it like to spend some time savouring your drink?
● Is this different to how you normally drink your first drink of the day?

Find out more about Mindful March.