mental health awareness

Free Weekly Mindfulness and upcoming classes.

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stress
Good morning and welcome to another week, and another little mindfulness workout!
Tomorrow CREATIVE MINDFULNESS starts, 7.30-9pm in Tawa, let me know if you want to join to learn and practice mindfulness AND work on your creative projects in a friendly and down to earth class.
Crocheters, knitters, colourers etc all welcome!!
 
>>>workout starts here<<<
 
Mindfulness is training your attention to be in the here and now, with an open and curious attitude, non judging of what is here.
Often we get stressed, by situations, by ourselves, by others. Mindfulness will not make stress never happen again, but it can help in managing stress, by doing just that: notice you get stressed!!
We can rage for some time, before we even notice what is actually going on with us. So that first step is the most important: notice that you are stressing out, looking at yourself.
Than be mindful of where in your body you feel stress, and just observe that. I find you are all clever people and usually once you learn to recognise the moment you are stressing out, and bringing your attention to your body, your feelings and what is going on in your mind, will give you a lightbulb moment as to what is going to be your next step. You can do this!
 
So no running away from stress, not beating yourself up about being stressed, just becoming aware of it is the way to move onwards. By practicing this, you will notice when you are being stressed much sooner, or you might even notice you are about to get stressed, and that is just great!!
 
Try it for a week and let me know if this is helpful,
have a great week,
M
🌷Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
ps Crocheting for calmness is so succesful, we are already taking bookings for next term!!
Here’s what people showed the second week at crochet class:
crochet

Free Weekly Mindfulness and Upcoming classes

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Tuesday 15 August: 6 week Creative Mindfulness in Tawa, 7.30-9pm.

Next week Creative Mindfulness starts on Tuesday, join us if you want to practice some mindfulness and want to have time to work on your creative projects!!
“My” crocheters come to this class, we have a mum and daughter, a few knitters, and we welcome colourers etc too!!

Sunday 27 August Tawa All Good Colourers at the Tawa Community Centre.

 Email monique@easynowmindfulness.com to register.

 

Easy Now Mindfulness Zendoodle Challenge
 
This week I have a zendoodle challenge for you. No need to be artistic or have an arts degree, everybody can do this, just follow these 8 steps!
So here we go:
 
1. Grab a pencil, a black sharpie/fineliner, paper and a round or square template. I used a glass to make a circle, you can also use square coaster or whatever you can find.
 
2. Use your pencil to go round your template to make a circle or square.
 
3. With your pencil draw 2 lines right through your template, to create 4 empty spaces. Any 4 spaces are fine!
 
3. Get your black sharpie and fill one space with this pattern:
https://buff.ly/2uv8Au4. Do you notice how I made a mistake here??  I decided not to be bothered by that 🙂
 
4. Fill another space with this pattern:
 
5. Fill another space with this pattern:
6. Fill a space with this pattern:
 
7. If you have any remaining spaces, you can fill this with circles of all different sizes and colour black around them.
 
8. Finished, or you can colour your zendoodle if you like. What ever you do, it will look stunning!!
 
Post your zendoodle to my page or in the comments as I will love to see how yours turned out!!!
 
Have a great week,
M
 
🌷 Healthy Mind, Happy Heart

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout & upcoming courses.

easynowmindfulnessLeave 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 MBSR in Churton Park.

Tuesday 15 August: 6 week Creative Mindfulness in Tawa.

 Email monique@easynowmindfulness.com to register.

 

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Holidays are over, all kids are back in school. So back to filling my classes for this term!
>>>The 8 week MBSR course that starts next Monday evening in Churton Park might be just right for you if you have done some mindfulness before, or if you are an absolute beginner, Very suitable for men, and women, and teens!
>>>The 6 week Creative Mindfulness on the Tuesday evening might be the one for you If you enjoy being creative, whether that is crochet, clouring, knitting or anything else AND you want to get into mindfulness.
Email me to register monique@easynowmindfulness.com or use the email now button at the top of this page.
FREE workout starts here:
Mindfulness can help to sleep better. I use mindfulness when I give my mind something to focus on, so it doesn’t go wild with worries!!
For me focussing on sounds works best. I start to pay attention to all that I can hear, just listening, not thinking about the sounds and not looking for sounds. This makes me feel relaxed and I sleep in no time!
So this week practice being mindful of sounds. Just bring your full attention to all you can hear, nearby and far away. Let me know if you get sleepy too!!
It helps in giving your brain a break from thinking and analysing and can be energising too.
Have a great week!
M
🌷Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
ps can you guess what the picture is???

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout and upcoming classes

easynowmindfulnessLeave 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 MBSR in Churton Park.

Tuesday 15 August: 6 week Creative Mindfulness in Tawa.

 Email monique@easynowmindfulness.com to register.

 

tree

This picture is of an amazingly glorious tree in Dunedin that I just couldn’t stop looking at!! It reminded me of one of the attitudes of mindfulness, that is to notice things,  as if you are seeing them for the very first time.
 
Not only do we often take our surroundings for granted. The same counts for our ability to see and notice all the beauty around us! 
 
So this week, as you go about your days, take a few moments to look at everything around you, as if you are seeing it all, for the first time.
You might discover things that you have never noticed before! 
One of my students for exampe, was amazed by how many shades of green she could notice, when she was on the bus, taking in the views mindfully!
 
Have a great week!
M
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
🌷

Free Weekly Mindfulness and Upcoming courses

easynowmindfulnessLeave 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.

 

vw-camper-336606__340

 

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

 
Is it schoolholidays in your home? It is in mine!
 
We often stay at home, as the kids seem to be very happy just hanging around.
Even if you are not going to the sun, or the snow or anywhere els these two weeks, that doesn’t mean you can’t take some moments to yourself to chill! And when everybody is at home for 2 weeks, I really need to do this myself!!
 
So this week, make a list of things that you like to do, that are fun, relaxing, or a treat. Doesn’t have to be expensive!
Commit yourself to doing at least one item of the list every day. Even if it is just for 5 or 10 minutes, take that time for yourself.
 
My list so far:
-put my colouring calender back on the dining table, I don’t have to finish a whole colouring page, but I can sit down for 10 minutes and colour.
-sit on my balcony (it’s covered!), have my coffee or tea in peace.
-visit a museum/gallery.
-go for a walk at the beach.
– go for lunch with a friend.
-go for a coffee with a neighbour.
-discover more meditations on my mediation apps.
-browse crochet projects.
-make a zendoodle.
-do my yoga every day.
 
Have a great week!
Aroha nui,
M
 
🌷Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
 
ps. do you like the picture? My dream camper, one day it will happen 🙂

 

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout and upcoming classes.

easynowmindfulnessLeave 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

Free Weekly Mindfulness and upcoming courses.

easynowmindfulnessLeave a comment
Upcoming classes:

 Sunday 2 July: Tawa All Good Colourers, at the Community Centre 10-12.

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.

 

 

yogarock

Good morning from Dunedin!! Feeling grateful to be here and I couldn’t have done this without one of my best friends, looking after our kids!!
 
Mindfulness is easy, it’s paying attention, in the here and now, with curiosity, acceptance and openheartedness, and without judging.
That means, it’s mostly an attention trainer!
 
This week, try to bring your attention to your body, the sensations in your body, just a couple of times a day.
 
Usually when you’re walking, your mind will wander off. Bringing your focus back to your body can help in stopping this wandering. As often the wandering can be ruminating, worrying, stressing, planning etc. Which only fatigues the brain and makes you feel bad.
 
Another way to be more mindful of the body is to start practicing yoga. I use the downdog app and absolutely love it! Great for beginners too! You can use it any time, any where, even at your work 🙂
 
Have a great week!
Don’t forget to register for the upcoming courses, the 8 week MBSR, 6 week creative mindfulness or the just crochet!!!
M
Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
 
🌷the yoga app: https://www.downdogapp.com

Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout and upcoming classes.

easynowmindfulnessLeave a comment
Upcoming classes:

 Sunday 2 July: Tawa All Good Colourers, at the Community Centre 10-12.

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

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

Tuesday 15 August: Creative Mindfulness.

 Email monique@easynowmindfulness.com to register.

 

spiral staircase

 

FREE Weekly Mindfulness Workout.
 
I had a fun week, teaching mindfulness at Tawa College to teenagers and at the community centre to a younger age group.
I explained to the teens about how thoughts, feelings and actions relate to each other in every day situations. When I asked them if that was already known information, I was so surprised that this basic understanding of our wellbeing, was missing!
 
So one more time:
Our daily life is a string of situations up on situations. In every situation there will be thoughts popping up in our minds, we feel things in our body, have emotions and we will do something. Or we will avoid doing something.
This determines whether we are on an upwards way, in our spiral of well-being, or on a downward way.
 
By becoming more mindful of ourselves, and how we react in daily situations, we will get more insight in why we feel the way we feel. And that gives us the opportunity to make changes to what we think, what we feel and what we do so we make sure we get on the way up in this spiral.
 
This week take some time, to have a good look at where you are on this spiral. At the bottom, half way up, or are you generally feeling all good, standing at the top of your spiral??
 
Can you think of changes you can make, to keep going upwards? Or to stop from going downwards?
 
Have a great week, remember to register for the 8 week mindfulness that starts next term, (the above is part of this course). This is a great course for teenagers too! And not just for women 🙂
 
Monique
💜Healthy Mind, Happy Heart
ps, quiet for the storm. Tawa College session about mindfulness last Monday.
tawaclass

Upcoming classes and Free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

easynowmindfulnessLeave a comment
Upcoming classes:
  Tuesday 6 June: Creative Mindfulness. 
                                              Saturday 17 June: Mindfulness for Kids workshop, 1-4 pm.

      Sunday 2 July: Tawa All Good Colourers.

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

                             Email monique@easynowmindfulness.com to register.

 

foodtruck

Yesterday was Yarn bombing day and I had great fun with that!
If you missed the pics on facebook https://www.facebook.com/easynowmindfulness/ you can see them below as well.
Hope you join me next year!!
You can learn to crochet at Tawa Community Education in August to get ready for it!
See the latest newsletter here:
>>>>Free workout starts here:
Last week we talked about, and practiced, mindful eating at the Creative Mindfulness class. One of the things that came up, is that mindful eating is about keeping the joy in eating, and eat with your full attention, making wise choices about what to eat. Deciding on foodoptions the same way you spend your money wisely.
A great way to do that is to have a lunchdate with yourself. And we are so extremely lucky in Wellington to have so many great food trucks, that this is such a fun exercise too!!
So this week, go on that lunch date!!
Pick something your really like, (maybe a smaller portion of something that is a bit more expensive than your usual lunch), find a nice spot to sit outside, and eat with your full attention. Taking in how it looks, how it feels, how it smells, and how it tasts.
Show me your lunches ok??!!
Have a great week,
M
Yarn bombing pictures of Tawa:

Upcoming classes and free Weekly Mindfulness Workout

easynowmindfulnessLeave a comment

31 May: Creative Mindfulness. 

17 June: Mindfulness for Kids workshop

24 June: All Good Colourers

7 August: 8 week Rewire Your Brain for Happiness, MBSR training. This succesful mindfulness training is for beginners and for those who have done a short training before. Integrate mindfulness into your daily life and get 10+ downloadable exercises to practice at home. Down to earth class.

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Mindfulness Workout of the week.
 
One of the things that always works, and is also part of the mindfulness for kids programme Pause Breathe Smile is that children are asked to smile as part of the mindfulness practices.
 
The body and brain are connected, they trigger each other and listen to another. You can use that, to influence how you feel. If you move your mouth into a smiley pose that will make you feel a little more positive. I bet you are trying it right now 😁
 
So this week, all you have to focus on, is to consciously bring your mouth to smile, a couple of times a day, and see what happens.
You can put a sticky note with a smiley face on your mirror, draw a little smiley on your hand, change your passwords to finish with SMILE, or set a timer a couple of times a day, anything to remind yourself to smile.
 
Have a great week!
M
🤗Healthy Mind, Happy Heart