Mindfulness
We have some fantastic people involved in AEGIS. Michelle Dredger is one of our independent inspectors and she also delivers Mindfulness training. Here are some words of wisdom to help manage stress and anxiety.
We are living through very uncertain and worrying times; it is especially hard for anyone separated from family and loved ones. Studying overseas and living in another country through all of this comes with extra stress and anxieties. So how can we all support our mental health and well-being?
Mindfulness can help, it is proven to help with anxiety, depression, anger issues, improve behaviour, reduce stress and improve relationships. Mindfulness is about living in the present moment, noticing and being aware. All too often we worry and obsess about past events and become anxious about what the future may bring, taking us away from the here and now.
The following meditation is great to practice when our worries and anxieties overwhelm us and our mind will not stop chattering:
Mindful box activity
• We are going to try a visualisation to help us deal with such issues
• The imagery we are going to use is the shrinking box
• Close your eyes, bring your attention to your breath
• Focus on your practise and realise this time is for you
• Notice your body seated here
• Find a state of comfort and stability and ease
• I want you to imagine a cardboard box
• Open the box and imagine placing the thing that is stressing you out in the box
• Place anything associated with this stress or worry into the box
• You might put in troubling memories, objects and items relating to your worry
• Place them all inside the box
• Carefully place them in the box, do not damage the box, place them in gently
• When finished close the box
• Make sure you haven’t missed anything and when you are sure seal the box
• In your mind visualise the box shrinking smaller and smaller
• You might find some resistance to this at first
• But just concentrate on making it smaller and smaller until it eventually disappears, think about the box on the slide
• Our challenges are only as big as we picture them and we just need to put them into perspective
• Now let’s pause to think of something positive, it may be a happy memory, something you are grateful for, something you are proud of
• Picture it and imagine it and how it makes you feel
• Surround yourself with this positive energy and take it forward to your day
If you are experiencing overwhelming feelings of anxiety, please talk to someone you trust.
Stay safe, mindful and well.
Michelle Dredger