5 mindfulness tips to help you slow down

Do you find yourself rushing around in December getting ready for Christmas?  

Or maybe you are one of those very organised people who have everything sorted months in advance and December is time to put your feet up and relax? You probably wouldn’t be reading this if that was the case.

So, you’re more likely to find yourself working your way through a never ending ‘to do’ list, battling the crowds in the supermarket and pulling out all the decorations to find lots have broken and there are none left in the shops!

Not to mention needing to clean the spare room for guests, parties to attend, turkey to order, presents to wrap (on Christmas eve – eek left it to the last minute – again) and dinner to cook – blimey that’s me exhausted just talking about it.

This all sounds like hard work and not very much fun, doesn’t it?

You may already know that I’m a bit of a fan of mindfulness. Taking a little bit of time to slow things down and get grounded again can really make a difference to how you feel. When you are running around at a 100 miles per hour it can feel stressful and exhausting. Mindfulness can help you to get out of your head and all those busy thoughts by becoming more aware of your surroundings and the things going on around you. Not only does this help you reduce stress, it can also help with anxiety too.

Taking time to use each of your senses to help you do this is an easy way to practice mindfulness.

Let’s give it a go…

See

There are loads of lovely things to see at Christmas time. In fact, it can be a visual overload. (I’m thinking of the house around the corner from me that is the busiest, twinkliest house I have ever seen in December!) The sparkly lights, decorations and beautiful displays to name a few.

What if you were to hit pause, just for a moment, to notice the things around you? Would you notice something that you would normally miss when you’re running around like a headless chicken?

I love a bit of sparkle so Christmas lights are my favourite thing, especially on the Christmas tree.

When you’re rushing around having a busy day, take a moment to notice (really notice) what is going on around you. Notice 5 things you can see… little things like the candy cane on a Christmas tree, the lights, the little robin that sits on the fence, people around you – are they rushing too?

Slow down and notice what you see, there is a lot going on around you.

Hear

Ah, the joy of Christmas songs whilst you’re doing your shopping… or does that just add to your stress? What other sounds can you hear whilst you’re out and about? People chatting? Children playing? Traffic in the background?

Christmas is full of different noises – have a go at noticing 4 things you can hear.

Feel

Maybe this is better described as touch. What can you physically touch that brings you comfort? A hug from a friend or loved one, a cosy blanket on the sofa, fluffy socks (my favourite), a nice warm drink and how it feels on the inside when you take a sip.

Maybe you have a pet you can give a hug to… what does it feel like to snuggle up on the sofa with your dog/cat?

Think about what 3 sensations can you feel right now and what will make you feel cosy today?

Smell

I love the smell of Christmas! From scented candles of spiced apple or cinnamon to the smell of mulled wine and warm mince pies. There are loads of different smells around you at this time of year. 

It’s not often we think of our sense of smell as the main sense we use (not like my dog chunk anyway!) but smells can be very powerful and bring up lovely memories.

Have a go at noticing the fragrances around you. What 3 things can you smell – which one stands out the most? Do the smells bring back memories?

Taste

The best until last at Christmas time! There are so many different flavours associated with Christmas, so much food around, but do you take time to savour and appreciate it?

There is so much choice sometimes that food can be eaten without really noticing how it tastes and only noticing how full you feel after eating it.

Want to try an exercise to notice the taste of something in a way you have never done before?

This mindful eating exercise is usually done with a raisin but I don’t like them so go for it if you do, but equally you can use a square of chocolate, or cheese or anything you like.

I’m going to go with chocolate… yum! 

You are going to really pay attention to the taste. In fact, you can use most of your senses in this exercise. 

Firstly take your chocolate and take a good look at it. What does it look like? The colour, the patterns etc.

Next notice the texture, is it smooth? Rough? 

Slowly move the chocolate to your nose… notice the smell, does it make your mouth water? 

Finally the taste… hold up… don’t put the full chocolate in your mouth… take a little lick first, what is that first taste like? Now put it in your mouth (don’t bite down on it yet) . Just hold the piece of chocolate on your tongue, does it start to melt? What is it like if you suck it and after you have explored your piece of chocolate? Slowly eat it and savour the taste.

How was that?

This Christmas when you’re eating, slow down, appreciate it and savour the flavours. The added bonus is if you eat mindfully, you will eat less.

Whatever you are doing over this Christmas period, slow down for a moment. Look around you and be aware of what you can see, hear, feel, smell and taste.

By slowing down, you stop Christmas passing you by in a frantic rush and a hectic haze.

Did you know there are 1440 minutes in everyday? That’s 86,400 seconds! Surely you can find 5 minutes (which is only 300 of those seconds) twice a day for you, to appreciate things around you and enjoy the Christmas festivities more than ever before.