Autumn Walk: A Mindfulness Practice

Autumn is a perfect time to let walking be your mindfulness practice.  It is full of all the richness that brings the senses alive and it's one of the healthiest and safest exercises for the human body.

A helpful exercise when practicing mindfulness is to focus on the senses, and a relaxing walk among the smells, sights and sounds of Autumn can be the perfect combination for staying in the present moment.

When our racing minds begin to take off to the future with worried "what-if" thinking, or when they drift to the past with messages of how things "should" have been, or "could" have been, then we are not present.  But mindfulness practices that bring us right into our senses can help with this.  The sounds, smells, view, feel and even the tastes we experience in the present moment are all that really exist.  We can consider the past and bring information from it to the present to help us solve something or move forward, and we can consider those worries about the future in order to apply action to productive worry, but letting our minds live in the past or future only leads to prolong feelings of depression and anxiety.  

Don't worry.  You're not alone if your mind tends to drift off into the past or future quite often, but you can get better and better at staying in the present by apply daily practices that exercise your ability to return to the present over and over again.  The more you practice mindfulness, the more frequently you will be present and the less you will suffer from the consequences of living in symptoms of depression and anxiety that are triggered by thoughts, and not reality.

A beautiful and relaxing Autumn walk is perfect for these kinds of mindfulness practices.  In such an environment you can intentionally pay attention to the brilliant changing colors all around you.  Fall is a time of year that offers carpeted paths of fallen leaves of shades ranging from yellow and green, to orange and red.  The changing environment around you will also offer the smells of the changing season.  Damp leaves and transforming forest floors produce the smells of the shifting season as the trees around you are shedding their growth for the coming winter. 

There is something about walking among all those leaves that also has a feel of insulation that softens sound.  Depending on where you live, you will also hear the sound of the traveling birds as they make their way south this time of year, and other animals will be busy in the bush preparing their winter homes and food supply.

As you zero in on these senses during your walk, you may not notice it but your mind is no longer racing into the future with worry or drifting into the past with sorrow, regret, and other emotions that surface.  These changes also preventing any ongoing unnecessary symptoms that those memories or worries create in your present moment.

Here is an exercise for your Autumn walk.  Spend 5 minutes on each statement, rotating through them repeatedly throughout your walk:  "What do I see?", "What do I hear?", "What do I smell?", "What do I taste?", and "What do I feel?"  The very last one listed here is not about feeling emotionally or psychologically, but what you feel physically, such as the temperature, or the sun on your face, or your clothing on your body, etc.  In addition, if you do not detect something in one of your senses, that's okay.  For instance, if you are not eating anything, or do not have gum or anything else in your mouth, you might not really taste anything at the moment, and that's okay.  Just move to the next sense and continue.

This is a beautiful time of year to get outside and enjoy the mild temperatures, as well as the beautiful colors and smells.  They say there is no time like the present, but the truth is that the present is the only time that really exists.  So it should say, "There is no time but the present". 

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."     ~EmilyBronte

Thanks to Sebnem Gulfidan for the great photo, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Gadget Addiction: Ways to Take Stress-free Breaks from your Electronics

Do you remember the first time you decided to start keeping your cell phone by your bed at night?  Not just charging, but actually turned on and within reach?  Maybe at first it was so the kids could reach you if there was an emergency, or maybe you started using it as an alarm clock or just a clock in the night.  Are there other devices that join it on the night stand?  A pager?  Pedometer?  Digital watch?  Maybe your Kindle reader?  And this is just at the relaxing point of bed and rest.  What about in the kitchen?  What gadgets are there?  Isn't the thermostat a computer now, and the toothbrush, and the coffee maker, and the click of your car key, at least for some advanced automobiles, to start the car before you even go out to enter it?  There are bikes now that will pedal for you if the going gets too strenuous?  I like the idea of that!  The places one can go with such an e-bike.   And who wouldn't when each of these devices makes the lives of humans easier.  Devices take us beyond our human capability to reach knowledge, accomplishments, and finish projects in ways we never could with our human limitations. 

But let's stop for a moment and remember that we are still human beings and humans are not machines or devices.  We "use" devices to help us do things that go beyond our ability (and many within our ability), and so the creation of most of them was, we hope, with good intentions by all.  But the human being has a much more advanced skill than machines do, and that is the discernment to know when to not use machines.  Or at the very least, when to take a break from them.  A machine can know it is over heating or running beyond its capacity and shut down, but a human can know when to step out of the world of gadgets and look up from the screen to see the waterfall or flower right in front of them.

Gadget addiction is a real thing.  One of the most obvious outcomes of excessive use of technology is that humans are becoming increasingly sedentary.  Some may even say "lazy".  Some of the latest artificial intelligence can write a paper for you and come up with all the ideas and suggestions for a problem or solution.  It can even create the most magnificent works of art.  But each time a human decides to give away this ability to think for themselves, or act for themselves, they are slowly becoming an observer, rather than an active person in this life.

So far, the varied research on overuse of gadgets, screens, and technology has revealed that there is a connection with isolation, depression, anxiety, and reduced attention span.  What is still being deciphered is the chicken and the egg problem.  Is it depression and anxiety that leads some to disappear into their devices and use them to try to feel better?  Or is it the devices themselves that are leading human beings to have these outcomes, and all the symptoms that come with them, including insomnia, aggression, lack of motivation, "fear of missing out" (FOMO), reduced self-esteem due to constant online comparisons, eye strain, hand and arm strain, and more.

Many of our gadgets help us to be more efficient in the world, but if we begin to identify with them too much, we can forget our humanness and our human limitations.  Finding ways to take breaks from our electronics can help rest the eyes and body, encourage us to connect more with nature (which we are a part of), and move us to exercise some of the abilities we have been letting machines do for us.  Taking time to step away from these helpful devices can help us keep a sense of balance between the two worlds of human and machine.

Here are some ways to take breaks from your devices:

*Consider shutting your phone off for periods of time (60 minutes to start).

*Try to let places like the dinner table be gadget-free zones.

*Go for a walk and let your eyes focus on something farther away than your screen or phone.

*Go places your devices can't always go or be on, like the sandy beach, the pool, or theater.

*Turn off your notification sounds so you are not prompted to your devices as frequently.

*Read a book or magazine.

You can find my prior blog entry about Gadgets and stress here:  Reducing Stress by Unplugging 

"Technology doesn't just do thing for us.  It does things to us, changing not just what we do, but who we are."     ~Sherry Turkle

Thanks to Jaci XIV for the great photo, https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Political Burnout: How to Reduce Your Stress

I once heard a woman from the United Kingdom say that she has no idea on earth why we Americans torture ourselves so much during our presidential election cycles.  The pattern begins early and floods the media and culture with noise and more politics than most care to hear about on a daily basis.

I recently took a wide-sweeping survey among those I interact with every day to ask how people are feeling right now about the current election situation here in the United States.  The general and overall summary was that many feel disconnected, disinterested, removed, and basically apathetic about it.  Some told me that they don't have time for it right now, while others expressed that they have too much going on in their lives to bother with anything related to this election year.  But at the exact same time, those who gave these answers expressed them with an eye-rolling frustration that told me they actually do have an opinion, and they do care, but are just frustrated and burned out on the politically saturated environment in the United States.

In January this year the Pew Research Center put out an article entitled  Tuning Out:  Americans on the Edge of Politics, in which they gathered varied comments from responders on how they are feeling regarding politics and elections here in our country.  The comments range from "can't escape it", to feeling they have no idea what to even believe anymore.  There is a good link as well (at the end of the overview) leading to an additional article called, Americans' Dismal Views of the Nation's Politics,where they support their findings and open our eyes to the reality of what has become of our views about this topic in America.  This time last year 65% of Americans said they feel "exhausted" when thinking of politics.

So if you are finding that tuning into the evening news only results in turning it off shortly after, you are not alone.  But the disinterest in the political scene does not come free of stress and anxiety because many people have expressed to me that they do care very much about outcomes in the arena of politics.  Yet they just feel too fatigued of the saturation of it all at this point when the topic of it just keeps being thrown at them over and over again.  Tuning out is a way to rest the brain and the emotions when something feels overwhelming and allows oneself to "come up for air", so-to-speak.  The election here is just over three months away and you can be assured, the focus on this topic won't stop there.

Like any kind of burnout, one step you can take is reducing your exposure to the flood, and in this case the flood is of political information that comes during an election year.  Not easy since it's literally everywhere you turn.  But tuning out of the news once you get the basic top stories of the day does helps.  

Practicing relaxation techniques is key.  You can find my blog entry from just before the 2020 election here in which I talk about the importance of maintaining stress reducing techniques in order to cope both before and after elections.  Get away from the screens when you can, and limit time exposure when you can't.  Avoid friends and acquaintances who are "political arguers" and who seem to pull you into battles that solve nothing, and instead only raise your blood pressure and heart rate.  Relaxation techniques are key at times like this and avoiding other poor coping behaviors such as alcohol and drug use (or other destructive behaviors) that only make things worse, is the way to more satisfactory outcomes.

You might not have the power to control the run-away train called the "political election system" in the United States, but you do have the power to turn down the dial on any conduit that flows it into your immediate vicinity, and which brings this noise to you in an abundance you don't care for.

"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence.  It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare".     ~Audre Lorde

Thanks to charles spoorn for the great photo

Summer Solstice: Our Seasonal Changing Mood

As I write this blog it is the Summer Solstice 2024.  It's a time for rejuvenation and a celebration of revitalized energy.  Looking at my calendar I also see it is a full moon.  So symbolic for the season and, according to NASA, this is the first time in 40 years that the full moon has fallen on the first day of Summer.  It's called a "Strawberry Moon" because it is the peak season for harvesting strawberries in the Northeast.   It's the day of the year with the most amount of daylight and the least amount of darkness.  So of course, those prone to depression tend to feel a bit better this time of year as the revitalization of the season fills them up and gives them more energy.

Basically, this is the time of year where our species has found various ways to celebrate the life-giving force of the sun and celebrate the way it aids in the growing of everything we know on this planet to be life giving and life sustaining.  This includes the way it boosts human energy and mood in a way that gives us more desire to be active and do things, which in turn can help with exercise and sleep patterns.

We think of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as something that only happens in the Winter with increased cases of depression and sadness, but with warm weather comes the stress of heat and for some the increased levels of energy during the Summer can lead to increased occurences of anxiety symptoms and usher in a different kind of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Some of the ways that SAD looks different in the Summer is that since energy levels rise in the body people can experience things such as anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness, and because there is more daylight we tend to get to bed later or even stay up late to enjoy the cool of the night, which can lead to loss of sleep needed to get through the next day.  So believe it or not, even depression can set in over time, just like it does in the Winter.

Ways to regulate mood in the Summer include keeping a regular schedule for your sleep wake cycle, staying cool and hydrated, as well as practicing your relaxation techniques on a regular basis including meditation, abdominal breathing, exercise, and daily journaling.  Exercise is easier and more accessible in the summer, so get out and partake in everything from walking and hiking, to summer sports and activities in the parks.  Be sure to counter-balance that, however, with rest and relaxation and take in that great summer revitalization by soaking in gentle hot springs, lounging a bit on the deck or at the pool side or beach, and relaxing in the cool evenings that are geared at regulating body temperatures after a long hot day.

Our ancestors celebrated this time of year by building bonfires and dancing around them (even leaping over them) in festive ritual.  A more modern idea is to consider writing words or phrases on paper that you want to let go of for the year and burning them in the fire to "let them go".   You can celebrate with some hydrating foods like watermelon, grapes and fruit.  And be sure to go out and try to see that wonderful rare Strawberry Moon tonight.  All of your whole body knows what time of year it is!

You can find my earlier blog entry about Seasonal Affective Disorder here

"I have only to break into the tightness of a strawberry, and I see summer--its dust and lowering sky."     ~Toni Morrison

Thanks to Nigel Hoult for the great photo

Relapse Prevention: Making changes now to be ready later

When the seasons change in the spring and summer months our human bodies tend to wake up a bit from our winter slumber.  We have a lot more energy this time of year and motivation rises to match the increased number of hours we are exposed to daylight.  These changes bring great opportunity to be more active, get things done, and work on personal improvements, as well as work on our stress management and relapse prevention plans.

With more sunshine and longer days comes a boost in serotonin and a much better sleep/wake schedule.  There is a noticeable increase in desire to do things, but it's best to keep track of the calendar because these warm and energetic times of the year only last so long depending on where you are at in the world.  For those here in Colorado, the season is roughly 16 weeks long from June through September.  Therefore, many people capitalize on this time of year to get in those vacation, home improvements, and outdoor activities they love so much.  It's also the time to capitalize on motivation that might be missing in the winter months, and with this motivation comes the energy and desire to revise your relapse prevention plan, be those for substance abuse, depression, or anxiety.  Plan to do it now while the desire and energy are here!

According to Psych Central your plan should include several things including, recognizing your red flags or "triggers", developing alternative activities, avoiding situations that you know are dangerous for your sense of wellbeing, and two very important other factors, which are to rehearse how you plan to respond when situations arise that trigger you, as well as have your stress management techniques at hand and ready to be used when the situation calls for it (i.e., such as during the holidays, shortened days of sunlight, and more hectic times of year concerning interrelations with family and friends).

Preparing now in the warmer months while energy and motivation are high is like buying yourself an early gift and wrapping it up to open later.  Having a plan for yourself now, or revising and updating the one you already have, is a great act of self-maintenance, self-love, and self-care, just like keeping up on your exercise or dental care.  It's something you will thank yourself for later when the days once again grow short and stay darker longer, and when your motivation is once again low.

You can find my prior blog entry about relapse prevention here

"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."    ~Jane Goodall

Thanks to Larissa S for the great photo

Abdominal Breathing: Relaxing the Stomach to Relieve Stress

If you suffer from anxiety, you may not realize that when your body responds to real or perceived danger, the fight or flight response triggers your tummy to flex and tense in order to either run from danger or to stay and fight it. 

When this happens the tense stomach muscle pulls in and as it does it pushes the diaphragm (a muscle sitting just below the lungs) upward, creating a crowded situation in your lungs.  You may notice in your symptoms of anxiety that your breathing becomes short and shallow and this is why, because there is much less room in the lungs for getting oxygen in.  An extreme example of this is hyperventilation, in which you breathe rapidly in very short and shallow breaths.

A remedy to help bring your symptoms of anxiety down is to focus on slow abdominal breathing, which requires you to relax the tummy muscle causing your lower abdomen to protrude a little.  As you do that the diaphragm muscle lowers and this creates a release of the pressure up under the lungs.  This can help bring fresh oxygen down and into the lower third of the lungs, which helps to refresh and relax the body.

For these reasons, focusing on slow abdominal breathing has become one of the fastest and most effective ways to lower your symptoms of anxiety in the moment, and particularly when it feels that your symptoms are escalating, such as during a panic attack.

Practicing your breathing techniques during times of no stress, for instance when you are at home and relaxed or meditating, can help you be ready and knowledgeable about what to do when under stress in a more difficult situation.  

Remember as well that the fight or flight response is triggered when there is real or perceived danger, so if you are not in real danger, then checking your beliefs is also important as just the belief that there is danger will create the same situation and the same shallow breathing.

So do your reality check, and then slow the breathing with well-practiced abdominal breathing.  To expand your knowledge about abdominal breathing, you can find my prior blog entry-- Abdominal Breathing-- here 

"Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky.  Conscious breathing is my anchor."    ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Thanks to Y Lamar Yancy for the great photo, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Walking for Stress Management

Memories of winter and darkness by 5pm are breaking way now to spring, and as the days get longer, the moods and energy change for most of us.  

That being true, this is a great time of year to consider creating a new walking routine to help cope with stress.  The cool of mornings, as well as the warmer evenings, are perfect for walking and unwinding as the change to spring and summer makes it easier to get out and stretch.

The reason walking is such a good addition to any stress management routine is because it actually does make physical changes in the body that help counter anxiety and stress.  According to the American Psychological Association people experience lower levels of stress hormones, like cortisol and epinephrine, after bouts of physical activity.  They also warn that the more sedentary we get, the less efficient our bodies are at responding to stress.

In addition, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that walking is a good form of low impact, moderate intensity exercise that has a wide range of health benefits and relatively few risks.  They suggest that we each try to get 10,000 steps each day for optimal health.  So how do we manage to get in all of those steps?  

The Mayo Clinic has a few good suggestions such as taking the stairs, parking farther away from the entrance to places you go, walking the dog, including walks in your work-day breaks, going for a hike, and adding music to your activities to get a pace going.  In addition to these suggestions, finding parks and trails to walk are great ways to get both exercise and the added relaxation of a beautiful environment.  At the same time, if you are a city dweller, sidewalk walking, mall walking, and walking around local attractions like a zoo, botanic garden, or shopping areas also benefit your walking routine.

What do you benefit in the end if you increase your walking?  Increased heart and lung fitness, reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, improved blood pressure and cholesterol, reduced muscular and joint pain, improved balance, and of course... less stress.

You can find my previous blog entry about walking meditation here

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.      ~Lao Tzu

Thanks to Natasha Chub-Afanasyeva for the great image