The Magic Of Mindfulness

So, I recently read a magazine article on the practice on mindfulness and decided to give it a try. Based on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness in meditation, it is the focusing of attention and awareness. Now don't worry if you are religious, although this comes from Buddhist roots, mindfulness is often taught independently of religion so you can still give it a try!
Put into layman's terms, mindfulness essentially gives your brain a rest and it can ease feelings of stress and anxiety.

The aim of mindfulness is to teach you to focus your brain on tuning out distractions and it claims that the easiest way to do this is a five or ten minute breathing exercise in the morning. In quite a similar setting to meditation, the idea is to sit with a straight, relaxing back and feet flat on the floor. Gazing straight ahead or with eyes closed, bring your attention to your breathing and wherever you feel it most. When thoughts crop up, which they undoubtedly will, refocus your mind onto your breath.
The great thing about this is that there isn't a specific way in which you have to do it. Experiment with the time of day that works best for you. Which room do you prefer to do it in? How long can you last before deciding what's for tea really can't wait any longer?

At first I will admit that this was impossible for me to do for longer than about 30 seconds but it does get easier and I can definitely notice the health benefits. The thing to remember is to just take it at your own pace, start at 2 minutes and build it up.

Some other ideas you can try, if you're finding the meditation-type mindfulness difficult, are:

• Have a mindful shower- Focus on the warmth of the water, and appreciate the smells of your soaps and shampoos.
• Take time to enjoy your lunch- Eat slowly, enjoy the tastes and focus on what you're eating rather than checking your computer or phone. 
• Savour a cup of tea and just relax. 
• Before you go to sleep as you lie in bed do a mental tour of your body. Focus on different feelings and areas of tension, imagine your breath soothing them. Doing this can lead to a better nights sleep! 

So there you have it :) I hope you enjoyed this and that it was helpful! Let me know if you try it and if it works for you. 

Thanks for reading,
Charlotte xx

Yoga Time

So one of my new years resolutions was to get fit. I dont want to lose any weight but I would love to be more toned.

I decided to try yoga as I had seen some really amazing success stories. It was something that I could do in the comfort of my own home and also something that I could do whenever I get the chance.

I downloaded this really amazing app onto my tablet called Daily Yoga. Within the host download you can choose from loads of different types of sessions including standing, seating and lying poses, and workouts for abs, legs and bums. It also has an option for mediation and each session comes in various lengths of time. Each has spoken instructions as well as a video guide and you have the option of backing music. It truly is an amazing app and I dont think I would be doing yoga without it. Best bit is that its completely free!!!

Another bargain I got with regards to my yoga journey is that whilst shopping in Poundland I noticed some sports good and within it was some yoga/exercise mats. I thought that they would be rubbish, afterall yoga mats are usually very expensive from sports stores, but they turned out to be really good. I bought 2 as they were quite small and I use them together so that they are long enough for my entire body.

So far I havent really seen a difference but I must admit that I havent been religious about doing it every day. I really would love to have a greater drive for getting fitter.

Have any of you got any tips for me? Or any of you facing the same dilemma where you want to get fit but are just lazy about the whole idea?

Thanks for reading! X