Mindfulness

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

melubberinkLeave a comment

Upcoming: Colouring and Zendoodle at the Tawa Community Centre 10-12.

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout
☀️
Kia ora, hope you had a good week!
Wednesday was the start of my Intermediate Crochet class which I really enjoyed teaching!!
This Sunday we are colouring again at the Tawa Community Centre, 10-12, so bring a friend and come to colour, zendoodle and chill with us!!
 
>>>>>Workout starts here:
Did you know that one of the attitudes of mindfulness is curiosity????
So this week, get curious!
Try to notice things as if you are seeing them for the first time, try not to judge, be open and accepting, and go!
It can help to ask questions and it is a great way to get to know yourself better too.
 
Have a great week,
nga mihi,
M
Healthy Mind Happy Heart
🌷

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout and upcoming classes.

Leave a comment
Upcoming classes:

Wednesday 2 August, 4 week learn to crochet at Tawa Community Adult Education

Monday 7 August: 8 week Rewire Your Brain for Happiness.

Tuesday 15 August: 6 week Creative Mindfulness. 

 Email monique@easynowmindfulness.com to register.

 

reflection wellington
 
Free Mindfulness Workout.
Most people will come up with “being in the here and now” or “being present” when they think about what mindfulness is.
And they are right! Mindfulness is bringing your full atttention to the present moment.
However that doesn’t mean that we cannot reflect upon things. It’s actually a healthy thing to do!
It’s good to take time to plan something, have a good think about something, when you decide when you want to do that. (Middle of the night is usually not a good time!)
Reflecting is not the same as overthinking, worrying or ruminating. If thinking makes you feel bad, that’s probably where you go wrong.
 
This week try to take a moment every day, to reflect upon a situation that happened that day or something you just want to have a good think about. You can ask yourself questions. What went well, what made it happen, how could things have worked out better etc etc.
Try to take one thing out of it, that you would like to improve on, and make that your goal for the next day, or the next time. And remember to be kind to yourself!
 
Have a great week,
look after you,
M
🌷Healthy Mind, Happy Heart

Grateful in April Free Mindfulness Workout

Leave a comment

gratefulinAPril

🌷Free Mindfulness Workout 🌷
 
It’s Grateful in April again!
It’s also the last week of the Creative Mindfulness on Tuesday, pm if you want to tag along or want to sign up for the May clasess!
 
At last!! I have a Mindfulness for Kids (preteens) in the holidays! Sign up quick as this will fill up fast 🙂
 
This week start and end every day by reminding yourself of three things you are grateful for. Doesn’t have to be big things! On a bad day you can just be thankful for being able to get out of bed 🙂
 
Have a great week!
M.
 
Healthy Mind Happy Heart
🌷
 
ps: Grateful in April is a global campaign to get people focused on feeling good about what they’ve already got in their lives. It’s amazing what can occur when you find ways to be grateful for what you have. It was started by Melina Schamroth. You can find all about it on the Grateful in April website and Facebook page!

💚💛 Free Mindfulness workout 💛💚

Leave a comment
This Thursday is World Heart Day.
 
You can read all about it here: http://worldheartday.org/take-action/
 
Your heart is the engine of your body that keeps you going and is super important to look after.
 
Did you know that there is a muscle connecting your brain to your heart that strengthens your heart and that kindness strengthens this muscle??!! Mindfulness is also called kindfulness, being kind in your selftalk to yourself and being kind to others, all others. Just another reason to practice mindfulness 🙂
 
This week try to be mindful of how you can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes heart disease and stroke. CVD actually is the world’s number one killer.
Print
 
So here is what you can do. Pick just one thing a day to focus on. Remember to take small steps, to establish new habits, works better than trying for big steps and giving up.
 
“Fuel your heart 💜
 
Eating and drinking well gives your heart the fuel it needs for you to live your life. This World Heart Day, make just a few simple changes to your diet to help reduce your own and your family’s risk of heart disease and stroke.
 
Try not to eat so many processed and prepackaged foods which are often high in sugar and fat
Cut down on sugary beverages and fruit juices – choose water or unsweetened juices instead
Swap sweet, sugary treats for fresh fruit as a healthy alternative
Try to eat 5 portions (about a handful) of fruit and veg a day – they can be fresh, frozen, tinned or dried
Keep the amount of alcohol you drink within recommended guidelines
Make your own healthy school or work lunches at home
Move your heart 💚
 
Physical inactivity can contribute significantly to heart disease as it can lead to unhealthy weight gain, diabetes and raised blood pressure. This World Heart Day, take control of your heart health by getting more active.
 
Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five times a week
Playing, walking, housework, dancing – they all count!
Be more active every day – take the stairs, walk or cycle instead of driving
Exercise with friends and family – you’ll be more motivated and it’s more fun!
Before you start any exercise plan check with a healthcare professional
Download an exercise app or use a pedometer to keep track of your progress
The best types of activity
 
Aerobic exercise is especially good for your heart – brisk walking, jogging, swimming and cycling are all ideal
Muscle strengthening exercises also help you to burn more calories to keep your weight healthy – try climbing stairs, walking uphill and digging in the garden
Stretching activities, like T’ai chi and yoga, can help to improve your flexibility
Love your heart ❤️
 
Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do to improve your heart health. This World Heart Day, make a commitment to quite and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, and that of those around you.
 
Know your risk. And power your Life 💙
 
Looking after your heart starts with understanding your risk, so make sure you know all your health numbers. Visit your healthcare professional and ask for a few simple checks. Remember, knowledge is power.
 
Know your blood glucose levels
High blood glucose (blood sugar) can be indicative of diabetes. CVD accounts for 60% of all deaths in people with diabetes so if it’s left undiagnosed and untreated it can put you at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
 
Know your blood pressure
High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for CVD. It’s called the ‘silent killer’ because it usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people don’t realize they have it.
 
Know your numbers
Visit your healthcare professional and ask them to measure your cholesterol levels, weight and body mass index (BMI), as well as your blood pressure and blood glucose. They can then advise you on your CVD risk so you can plan to improve your heart health.
 
Know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack
Over 70% of all cardiac and breathing emergencies occur in the home when a family member is present and could help a victim.
 
Talk to your healthcare professional about local cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses so you can help a loved-one in the event of a heart attack. If you suspect a family member is having a heart attack or stroke, seek medical help immediately.”
From http://worldheartday.org/take-action/
 
Have the best happy healthy week!
🌷
 
#poweryourlife #worldheartday #gethearthealthy #whd #whd2016 #hearthealthyselfie
@World Heart Day
 

Feel good about you, rewire your brain!

Leave a comment

✨✨✨󾀽 FREE MINDFULNESS WORKOUT 󾀽✨✨✨

Did you know your brain is wired to focus on negative things and to quickly forget about positive things? Because that’s what helping for survival!
However that makes us easily forget all the good things we do.
If you want to feel more postive about yourself, you need to train your brain to focus on the things that are good about you. This might feel a bit uneasy at first, but you will get good at it, really quickly!

So this week, every day, take a moment to pause and think about what was good about you so far today. And when you think about it, also bring back all the sensations about it. The sounds, the smells, what did you see, how did it feel. That is important to really make the change.

Have a great week!
<3

ps I hope the people that planned to plant persil all around the Wellington Station, feel really good about themselves. Because I love it! Did you know??

IMG_6327

Unhelpful thinking, weekly mindfulness workout.

Leave a comment
How time flies when you’re busy! Here’s another
<<<><><>>>Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout <<<><><>>>
 
This week builds upon last week’s workout. If you’re not feeling the way you want to feel, first you can calm yourself down by focussing on your breathing.
The next step you can take, is to notice your thinking. Often what we feel, is caused by what we think. When you learn to be more mindful of your thoughts, you will discover the thoughts and regular patterns of thinking that cause unwanted emotions. For example thoughts that start with “I should” of “I should not” give you stress. Or you might have other unhelpful thoughts.
 
So this week, try to get some insight in your unhelpful thoughts and thought patterns.
 
It is important to realise that when things happen, emotions will happen too. It’s normal to feel upset when sad things happen! That’s when you need comforting.
 
Have a great week!
 
Like the picture? Lovely gift from a friend! Who are you going to spoil this week?
IMG_6341

Take in the good

Leave a comment
*** Weekly Mindfulness Workout***
 
Hope you had a great weekend and are ready for another week! Your brain is made to remember all the bad stuff and this doesn’t help if you want to feel happy. The good news is, that you can train your brain to focus on the good stuff, and gradually you will do this more automatically and you will start to feel more postive, happy and relaxed and worry less!
So this week, keep asking yourself all through your days “so what else is good here?” Doesn’t have to be big things, anything will do.
 
Have a good one!
IMG_1183

Grateful in April

Leave a comment
Free Weekly Mindfulness Train-Your-Brain Workout!
 
This week another group of awesome people are finishing my 8-week mindfulness for happiness course, and I’m very proud of their hard work and achievements! Let me know if you want to be in the next class!
 
Our brains are not wired to be on the lookout for all the good and positive things that are right here. Instead our brains are always looking for what is negative and what can go wrong, just protection for survival really. So we have to make an effort to rewire the brain by consciously training it to focus on the good stuff that is going on, so we can feel good!
 
So everyday this week, you are going to make an effort to remind yourself of three things, that are right here, that you are grateful for. No matter how small, it’s worth giving it some attention.
 
I’m joining the Grateful In April challenge. I hope you will too, you can signup on their webpage gratefulinapril.com or  like the facebook page.
 
Have the best week!
Monique
IMG_5511
Awesome Wellington Street art! Train your brain!

Mindfulness Workout

Leave a comment

Good morning all,

Another week has gone by and there have been horrific things happening in the world the last week. We’re all thinking of the people that have lost their lives, and of all the people that have lost their loved ones.

We can also sometimes feel overwhelmed by this all. We can feel powerless and don’t know what we can do about it. These moments it might help to just take our attention back to the here and now, to focus on our breathing or senses, to give ourselves a break and relax. Just to be able to cope with it all better. This is not denying what is happening, but looking after ourselves. It’s ok to tell ourselves we are safe, we are grateful for living in freedom and free of war. Grateful that our children can go to school safely every day, they can go on the bus and train and meet up with friends by themselves. We are free to express ourselves and live the lives we choose too.

So this week try to bring your focus back to the here and now, a few times a day, focus on your breathing, or use your senses. What can you hear, what can you see, what can you feel or taste. Give yourself a short break from it all, and be grateful for all we have that we easily take for granted.

Have a good week,

Monique

Mindfulness weekly workout

Leave a comment

Hi there,

We had another exciting week with the All Blacks parade in Wellington and the Guy Fawkes fireworks, great fun!

After the last rugby match last Sunday, I overheard someone saying that with the winning of the All Blacks, there would be a lot less domestic violence that day in NZ. And I found that upsetting. So this week the workout is about something a lot op people are not aware of. Over the years I have often heard people say it is good to give your emotions free reign, and express anger, but I have never agreed with that and this is why. Psychologist Brad Bushman explains it very clearly: “Maybe you have heard of the joke, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer is: “Practice! Practice! Practice!” My question to you is: “How do you become an angry, aggressive person?” The answer is the same: “Practice! Practice! Practice!” Venting is just practicing how to behave more aggressively.”

So this week’s practice is about growing awareness of your feelings of anger, frustration, annoyance etc. Do you easily fire up? First step is observering yourself and when you see you are getting wound up, or have acted angrily, bring your focus to your breathing and just follow your breathing for a couple of minutes until you feel your body has calmed down. This is not about beating yourself up for being angry but about praising yourself for being aware and taking the first step to changing! It takes practice to become a calm and more balanced person, but it’s not impossible.

As always, would love to know how you are doing, have a good week,

Monique