This year has been an unprecedented time of uncertainty for many across the world. People are looking for ways to improve wellbeing as they find relief from heightened stress. Mindfulness is an ancient tool that has been practiced for thousands of years to help relax the body and mind. In today’s times, its application is more relevant and useful than ever before. This practice is accessible to anyone, whenever they need it. All you need is your breath.

I am grateful to share my 5 simple mindfulness tips to help ease stress and anxiety. I hope these tips are useful to help soothe any tensions that you may be feeling.

1. Start each day with a “Mindful Minute”
   After you wake up, sit up on the edge of your bed. Simply breathe for one minute, following your inhales and exhales as they flow in and out. Do this before reaching for your phone, making a coffee, or jumping up to get to your to-do list. These 60 seconds will set a baseline of calm that can permeate your entire day. Your mind and body will be able to come back to this sense of peace whenever stress and anxieties arise.
2. Practice Self-Care 101
   To best serve the world, we must first care for ourselves by being mindful of our own personal needs. What in your life makes you feel the most nourished, most inspired, and most alive? Whether it’s walking in nature, exercising, meditating, or talking with a dear friend, make time to incorporate moments of self-care.
3. Feel your feet
   One tactic for managing heightened levels of panic or stress is to shift your attention to the feeling of your feet on the ground. Feel your connection to the Earth below and envision a sense of grounding, stability, and support. When we feel our feet on the ground, we are reminded that we are right here in this moment and we are okay just as we are.
4. Rest in presence
   We are a society based on doing. How fast can we move? How much can we accomplish? Even practicing mindfulness can come from a place of doing as the pressure to meditate can quickly become another task on the to-do list. During times of stress, we must rest in presence. Slowing down, making ourselves comfortable, and reminding ourselves to simply be restores balance amidst the waves of uncertainty.
5. Harness the breath
   Mindfulness and meditation traditionally begin with an awareness of the breath. This awareness can be carried with us beyond practice into daily life. The breath is one of our greatest tools because it is with us at all times. By following the breath, we can gain access into the present moment. This moment is a place of refuge, where we can move towards alleviating our worries.
   

I invite you to take a moment to pause, take a deep breath in, and a full breath out. Pause to honor & appreciate yourself for all of the patience, perseverance, strength, and courage that you’ve demonstrated this year. May you be peaceful, may you be well, and may you have joy in your moments to come.

About the Author

Joshua Canter (M.A. in Contemplative Psychology) has been teaching meditation since 2000. He leads classes and workshops in yoga/wellness centers, schools, hospices and hospitals, businesses, and retreats around the world. Joshua is the Founder and Director of True Nature Travels and True Nature Education. For more information about upcoming retreats or workshops, visit www.JoshuaCanter.com and www.TrueNatureTravels.com.