Recommended Exercises
To Develop a Mindfulness Practice
There are many helpful apps to get you started with mindfulness. I like to recommend the following:
The Headspace app: Free for 10 days, colorful and helpful illustrations. There is tons of info on the Headspace website as well.
The Insight Timer app - free version has thousands of guided meditations.
The Smiling Mind app - completely free - created by a nonprofit
To Develop Gratitude
Train your brain to look for and acknowledge the positive in the world. If we look, it is there. Write down 3 things for which you’re grateful every day. You can also make a voice memo on your phone. Better yet, do this at mealtime with your family, crew or friends. When it’s a regular practice you’ll develop the habit of looking for what’s positive because you’ll be anticipating answering the question.
To Build Community and Connection
Upon waking and before getting out of bed, one at a time, call to mind 3 people, picturing them with a smile on their face and what gave them that smile.
Once a week (or more) write a positive message to someone in your social network
Give without expectation
To Short Circuit our Natural Threat Assessment
I like to call this being “a higher human.” To do this, designate part of each day (or a day each week) to greet every face you see with the thought of “I wish you well.”
To Build a Connection with Your Family
Return home with the gift of your full attention. Don’t clean or correct in the first 10 minutes you are home. Give your full attention to whoever is there as if you’d just returned from being gone for a month.
To End Your Day Well
After dinner or before bed, journal for 2 minutes per day about something positive.
Build the skill of Optimism and Self-efficacy
Note when you take positive action in challenging circumstances. Emphasize that you had power to positively impact your situation and that you always have that ability.
