454-Using Mindfulness to Reduce Stress

It may sound simple, but mindfulness can reduce stress! How? Tune in to this episode of Everyday Happiness to learn how! 

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and stress has an incredible toxic effect on our bodies.  We’re not running from lions anymore, we’ve evolved as humans, but we’re stressed about a lot of things.  And when we’re stressed, we can’t function as our best selves. 

 

Apparently mindfulness can actually reduce stress.  That looks like being totally present in the moment.  For you, right now, it looks like listening to every word you’re hearing from me.  You’re not scrolling your phone, checking email or multitasking in other ways.  You are right here right now.  

 

I think of this with my husband and our coffee chats.  It’s no phones, looking at him, engaged in our conversations. Sometimes they are super short, but they are intentional. It could also look like being alone, sipping warm coffee and feeling the coffee fall down your throat, the ceramic of the coffee mug, the way the coffee smells. 

 

Being in this moment exactly as it is.  Not wishing it was different or thinking about the past or the future.  Just being present, in all the senses of the moment.   

 

The experts say that when we are stressed and we can “be” in the moment, we will make better decisions for the next moment. 

 

So mindfulness is a practice, and you can get better over time.  A lot of people call it meditation.  But it can also be awareness throughout the moments of the day.  Instead of multitasking, practice being present in the moment.  Perhaps it starts with putting your phone in your pocket the next time you are in line at the grocery store or Starbucks.  You notice the things around you, the people, the smells, the way your groceries are organized (or not) in your cart.   

 

So apparently if you practice mindfulness, you can reduce your stress. 

 

Do you meditate?  How does this look for you? Let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram  

 

Inspiration for this episode and the research mentioned comes from the Happiness Lab podcast, episode 13.  

 

 

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And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

 

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