mental health awareness

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

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That week went so fast! Hope you had a good one!
 
Tawa All Good Colourers are meeting up again this Sunday, 10-12 at the Tawa Community Centre, you’re welcome to come along too! Bring a friend and have a coffee and a chat and colour away!
 
One of the most important tools we all have to calm down is our breathing, it’s our anchor through the storms. Make it a habit to bring your attention to your breathing whenever you again, notice if you are breathing into your abdomen and if not, make sure you lower your inbreath, drop your anchor an breathe.
 
Even if all is going well, it’s a great way to build your resilience, so when the weather does change, you are ready for it!
 
Have a good week, hope to see you at colouring!!
 
M
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
🌷

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

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Kia ora! School holidays have started, term 1 went by so fast!
 
Yesterday I went to Te Papa for the new Toi Arts exhibition. There is an amazing art installation called Indra’s bow, made by Tiffany Singh, i’s made of lots of spices, gemstones, and other natural materials, and it smells amazing!
Have you seen it???
 
Practicing mindfulness is easy, you just give your mind something to focus on, that is present in the here and now. You can use your senses for this.
 
So this week, focus on what you can smell. You will quickly notice that your mind will start to figure out what you are smelling, and it will also judge the smells. This is your brain, trying to protect you from any danger!
Try to ignore this, just go outside for a walk and focus on the things you can smell around you.
 
Have a great week!
M
🌷
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
PS Crochet for Relaxation runs again next term at Tawa Community College!!

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

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Hope you are enjoying a long weekend!!
 
This year we’re joining #GRATEFULINAPRIL again!!
So you can guess what this week’s practice will be about 🙂
 
What if your goal wasn’t living the life you love, but it was about loving the life you live?
If you can forget about striving, aiming, reaching etc etc for a few moments, and focus on the good that is here already?
 
Imagine how that can make you feel, and how that feeling can expand into loving the life you have, into feeling more joy and happiness every day?
 
So this week, plan a good moment every day to bring your attention to all that you are grateful for. And even if all you can think is “cats”, that is ok too!!
 
Have a great week and you can read more about #gratefulinapril here: http://www.gratefulinapril.com
 
Monique
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
🌷

Last Free Weekly Mindfulness this year

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Morena lovely people!

Last workout for 2017 already!! Taking a little break and back in 2018!!

So this week take some time to reflect on the past year, how have you been this year? What are you happy with, what have you enjoyed, what have been special moments for you, what are you grateful for? Doesn’t have to be big things, little things count too!!

All the best for now, happy holidays and see you soon!

M

Healthy Mind, Happy Heart

ps remember I’m teaching mindfulness privately and have only minimal hours available for this, so book early 🙂 Just email me on monique@easynowmindfulness.com.

ps remember crochet for calmness runs in Tawa AND in the CBD in February but bookings are already available for this too!! Just email me on monique@easynowmindfulness.com.

 

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

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Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout
 
People often ask me how to start with mindfulness.
The easiest way to start mindfulness is to take something you are doing daily anyway, and decide to do that mindfully!
This is not going to take you any time. All you do is bring your attention to the here and now by using your body and senses.
What can you see here, what can you feel here, what can you hear, what can you smell here??
Remember your body is always in the here and now! It’s just our mind that is always wondering off!!
 
So this week, go back to basics and pick something from your day that you are doing anyway, and do it mindfully. Doesn’t have to take long. Just a few minutes to start is fine!
Maybe a moment when you have your morning shower, or the first sips of your morning tea.
Taking the stairs mindfully or why not park a bit further away and enjoy your walk mindfully!
 
Have a great week,
M
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
ps Did you know I have a few hours available for private mindfulness tuition?
Make your appointment now by emailing me on monique@easynowmindfulness.com before I’m fully booked!

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

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colouringmentalhealth

Hello and good morning!
Is it holidays in your home? It is in ours! When I start colouring, and I leave my colouring out on the table most of times, I usually find my kids start colouring too!
It’s relaxing and a great way to spend some time together.
 
For mental health awareness week there is a colouring competition and you can find it here:
http://www.mhaw.nz/colouring-competition/
#MHAW
 
So this week, get some colouring done, and you know it is not just for children, adults can colour too!
 
Have a great week, show me what you colour!
 
M
 
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

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nature is key

Yes you got it right, it is only Sunday and I’m a day early with the workout.
That is because I want to give you the opportunity to register for the Mental Health Awareness Week 2017 photochallenge today!!
 
Having something to bring your attention to, is a great way to break the downward spiral of wellbeing and change your brain and pathways into a happy brain.
 
Are you joining in with me??
Sign up here: http://www.mhaw.nz/photo-competition/
 
Post a picture every day on social media (make sure your post is public) and you might win!
 
Here’s the challenge per day:
Post a picture each day using our prompt. Each day one lucky person will win a prize! #MHAWNZ @MHFNZ @MentalHealthFoundationNZ
 
Oct. 1 – My view
Oct. 2 – Gratitude
Oct. 3 – Light
Oct. 4 – Water
Oct. 5 – Small treasures
Oct. 6 – Nature indoors
Oct. 7 – Bush walk
Oct. 8 – Art
Oct. 9 – Pop of colour
Oct. 10 – MHAW Lockout
Oct. 11 – Papatūānuku (Mother Earth)
Oct. 12 – Creature
Oct. 13 – Spring
Oct. 14 – Love my backyard
Oct. 15 – Nature is key to…
 
Go on, go for it!
 
Have a great week,
Aroha nui,
M
🌷
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

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Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout
Kia ora it is Monday again!!
Last week we finished the Creative Mindfulness course with mindful eating. That was fun and interesting!
It has totally put some people of crackers and some cookies lol!
Just a reminder that I have a few hours available for private mindfulness coaching. Just get in touch by pm or email and we can find a time that works for you!
WORKOUT starts here:
This week try to eat a bit more mindful for eating more of the good and less of the bad.
1. Before you start eating, rate our food on a scale from 1 to 10, how yummy do you think this is to eat?
2. Look at your food, smell and observe it.
3. Take a bite and wait a little before you start chewing, just noticing all you can taste in your mouth.
4. Slowly start chewing and only swallow when it is mostly gone anyway.
5. Rate that bite on a scale 1 till 10 again.
6. Repeat step 2 till 5 a few more times and decide when to stop eating.
Remembe you never have to finish your plate, your meal, you are allowed to discard of it anytime!
Have a great week,
aroha nui,
M
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart

Free Weekly Mindfulness

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Last Creative Mindfulness class this term is Tuesday!

Register for next term by emailing me on monique@easynowmindfulness.com!!

We are also colouring again on Sunday, 10-12, at the Tawa Community Centre.

positive thinking

Good morning!!
Last week in the Creative Mindfulness Class ( you are welcome to our last meeting tomorrow in Tawa by the way) we did a mindfulness of thinking practice.
This is something you can easily try at home too.
The goal is to learn to notice the thoughts popping up in your mind (which is normal and happens all the time).
So no analysing, no judging, no liking, no disliking, just noticing every thought as it pops up in your mind, and disappears again.
 
When you become more aware of what is going on in your mind, you will get more control over your mind, and will be more able to decide what thoughts are helpful for you, and what thoughts are unhelpful. It will be easier to let those unhelpful thoughts pass by, by just noticing them and not giving them any more attention.
 
So this week, take a moment to find a nice quiet spot to sit, close your eyes, focus on your breathing for 10 breaths and than bring all your attention to your thinking. A couple of minutes to start with will be great!
 
Have an awesome week,
M
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
🌷

Free Weekly Mindfulness

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You have two more weeks to come to the Tuesday evening Creative Mindfulness class before the holidays!!

Learn to crochet is running again from 1 November, register now before it’s fully booked again (as happened last time!) Register here: http://www.tawacomed.co.nz/Course,Beginner-Crochet-Wellington,2433

kindness-1197351__340

FREE weekly mindfulness

Hello and happy Monday!!
Last week I noticed something interesting. Well I found it interesting! 🙂
I was surprised by a probably impulsive and judgemental comment on a post. And the reason it surprised me, is that I hardly ever read comments like this.
The good thing is that I must be surrounded by loving and kind people on Facebook that always leave me positive and kind comments!! So that also made this comment stand out more.

It also got me thinking that being kind, nice, accepting, positive, complimenting is a habit. And if we all train ourselves to have this habit, the negativism will only stand out more, and can be ignored more easily.

So this week make an effort to be aware of your kindness, and thankful of kindness of others.

Have a great week,
aroha nui,
M