There is a lot of hype around using meditation and mindfulness to calm the mind and body, but for some people these methods may not have proved useful.
The great thing about mindfulness though, is that there’s a wide variety of activities that can be used to practice it.
Everyone is unique, and so it is natural that some mindfulness strategies will work better than others for each individual.
So if you find that meditation or mindfulness hasn’t worked for you in the past, don’t rule it out altogether just yet!
Photo by Dominika Roseclay from Pexels
The purpose of mindfulness
Mindfulness is a great tool for those experiencing stress, anxiety, strong or unwanted emotions like anger, and some other mental health issues.
The practice of mindfulness can help to relax the mind and body, bring awareness to deeper thoughts and feelings, and bring the mind to the present moment. This last point is particularly relevant for those experiencing stress or anxiety (when worrying about the future) or sadness and depression (when thinking about the past).
While there are many different methods and reasons for practicing mindfulness, there are some simple activities which can be used to calm strong emotions and stressful thoughts.
One such umbrella of activities involves sensory calming methods – using sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. These activities are a great introduction to mindfulness, and are useful for children as well as adults.
You might find that some sensory activities work better for you than others, so take a look below and give some a try!
Calming sensory activities for you and your family
- 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
This is a common mindfulness exercise which uses the five senses to bring your mind and focus back to the present moment. Name out loud 5 things you can see around you; 4 things you can feel (e.g. the seat you’re sitting on or the socks on your feet); 3 things you an hear; 2 things you can smell; and 1 thing you can taste.
- Tactile box
Fill a shoe box or other small box with items that have different textures, like dry rice, pasta, kinetic sand, confetti, cotton wool, hair scrunchies or any other small items from around the house. Now run your hands through the box, focusing on the different textures and shapes.
- Listening to music or ASMR
Listening to your favourite music or relaxing songs can be a great way to boost mood and release stress. Spotify also has some great ASMR playlists (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) with calming sounds, like raindrops pattering on the window, ocean waves or birds chirping in a forest. Here’s one to get you started! Australian Nature Sounds
- Mindful eating
Whether it’s chewing gum, eating slowly, or really paying attention to the textures and flavours in your meal, mindful eating is not only good for the mind but it also has some benefits for the body too!
- Use a fidget cube / fidget toys
For those who are fidgety, anxious, or just feel like sitting still is the opposite of calming, using something like a fidget cube can be great stress relief that keeps the mind occupied – and they’re for adults too! Fidget cubes and other sensory toys/objects can be found for sale online and in games stores. An alternative to fidget cubes is a rather simple object – a rock or polished gemstone! Holding a smooth stone in your hand and gliding your thumb over its smooth surface can feel rather relaxing.
- Rock and sway
We know that gentle swaying can calm an upset child, but did you know that this swaying motion can be calming for adults too? Using a rocking chair, a garden swing or even a swing at the playground can be calming (and it will likely put a smile on your dial, too!). If you’re unable to access any of these, swaying in an office chair or rocking side to side while sitting on the couch are alternatives.
Liz Gellel | Communications Coordinator
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