I’ve Got That Summertime Mindfulness
There’s so much to love about summer- school’s out, camps, more free time, warm weather, hanging with friends, and the list goes on and on! Time seems to fly when you’re having fun doesn’t it? So why practice mindfulness when you’re already feeling so good?
Practicing mindfulness can boost and maintain positive emotions throughout your summer! Not only will it help you feel your positive emotions more deeply, but it can make it easier to accept and manage the inevitable strong emotions that are bound to come up. At Mind Chicago, we love to make summer mindful in order to have a more meaningful and fun time!
The last thing we want is for you to feel like having a mindful summer is a lot of work. Don’t worry, these suggestions are quick and easy to access. Being mindful can be done while you’re doing activities you normally do!
Journaling
Now that you aren’t rushing for the door to make it to class on time, journaling is a great way to check-in with how we’re feeling when we wake up. You might use the first few minutes when you wake up to reflect on how you’re feeling and what kind of day you want to have. This simple practice can improve your mood, increase your self-esteem, and even boost your immune system. Here are some free journaling ideas you can write about!
Mindful Walk
An easy activity you can do in the beautiful summer weather is to go for a mindful walk. We recommend trying this one without a phone or music. Yup…you read that correctly, no electronics (as long as you feel safe). Before you start worrying about texting your friends back or checking TikTok, rest assured a mindful walk can be as short as a few minutes.
Making Boring Parts of the Day Mindful
We all have morning tasks that can become so repetitive that we barely realize we are doing them. Some examples are washing our face, drinking water, or brushing our teeth. Our mind often wanders elsewhere during these activities. This mindful activity is quite simple, try your best to focus on the water running between your fingers, the taste of the toothpaste in your mouth, or how refreshing that first sip of water is. It may feel a bit silly at first but trust me, you’ll start to feel calmer over time.
Enjoy! This is a great way to rejuvenate yourself, have more fun, and enter the school year with a deeper sense of calm.
For more information on having a mindful summer with the help of a therapist, reach out to us at hello@mindchicago.com.
Authored by Mind Chicago therapist, Fatima Sakrani, LSW.
