Mindfulness Daily Check-in August 27
Hi all - I hope you are doing well. Thought we could do something a little different today and get the mindfulness up for everyone with a 30 day challenge. I was helping a couple of folks trying to dream up new coping skills and found this on the web and thought I would share it and you can all see if you can do as many of these items also to help you out in your daily mindfulness for the next month. Feel free to print it out and refer to it also.
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Wow i love this! Do u have the link to page/website? I want to print it out and post it somewhere
@Chocolateandcakes
Hi, you can find the image at this location:https://imgur.com/a/X9YQLPk
@DanaMH
AWESOME IDEA 
@amiablePeace77
Thanks
@DanaMH Awesome!!!! 
And since I'm one week from my two month break from social media, I'll put it to good use. Thank you so much!!!
@sweetrosa1987
That is also a good mindfulness goal to have also those breaks from social media.
@DanaMH Yes. By the way, what's "Tea meditation"?
@sweetrosa1987
Here is one web page that I found about it since I had to look that one up myself.
@sweetrosa1987
HI Rosa I also found this step by step "tea meditation" I do this but with coffee
1. Pick out a teacup, whichever one calls to you, and set it down mindfully (all acts done during this process should be completed mindfully).
2. Step aside and select the tea you wish to steep. Any tea may be used, it just depends on your current preference. Do you feel like something bold, something lighter or something sweet?
3. Grab your kettle and pour fresh water in it (tea should always be made with fresh water for better quality-you can reuse the extra water for something else-please do not waste water) and allow your kettle to be brought to a light boil.
4. As you wait for the water to boil, sit and practice a short breathing meditation. Place one hand above your chest and the other on your stomach. Listening to the faint whistles of your kettle, inhale and exhale, observing your breathing until it is time to turn the kettle off.
5. Depending on the type of tea, and since youre technically not supposed to use boiled water on tea leaves, rest with the kettle to the side to let the water cool for a bit. Use this time to cool your mind as well. Inhale. Exhale. Feel the steam from the kettle around you. Inhale. Exhale.
6. With your full attention, place the tea you selected into the teacup you were drawn to. Pour the heated water over your tea bag or tea leaves. I would recommend loose tea used here because it is the perfect opportunity to focus on your tea leaves dancing in the water, expanding and extracting full flavour, colour and aroma.
7. While you allow it to steep for the duration recommended sit beside your teacup and simply follow your breath, noticing where you are in this exact moment. Also, give thanks for the cup of tea that is in front of you right now. Think about the hard workers who picked and processed the tea to get it to where you are now.
8. When the steep process has completed, using both hands, hold the cup and draw it to under your nose to inhale the present aroma. What do you notice? Let it take you back to a wonderful moment or create a new one in your mind.
9. Slowly bring the cup to your lips, take a sip and ask yourself again: what do you notice? Continue to enjoy the tea, sip by sip, savouring each one while bringing your mind back into your body.
10. Always remember that the process of tea meditation is nothing more than letting yourself concentrate on one thing at a time. End your tea meditation with giving thanks again and realizing the incredible moment you just experienced.
@DanaMH
Wow Dana wonderful you shared this. I so love it. Im printing it now to put up in my house
@RumpleSteeleSkin
That is so awesome to hear. I know the members I help that are long term members are always pinging me for new ideas and found this and thought what a wonderful idea for the mindfulness folks to do also.
Getting very attentive to being mindful
@scarletPear1945
Yes, it is.
@scarletPear1945
ello PearI have been noticing over time how you HAVE been mindful and learning and supporting others. I am very proud of you
@RumpleSteeleSkin
Thank you
This challenge sounds amazing! I don't need to put aside time if I simply want to be aware of my surroundings. It's more like creating time for me to breathe.
For weeks, I've tried but not too successfully finished a meditation session. I just make up excuses like I need to have this downloaded first, on to my phone, then can I listen to it wherever. But I can't seem to get past the first step .I'd rather just learn to hone my focus and accept my situation.
@Skyy0
When you say time for you to breathe - does that mean you are to busy and need to spread things out more?
Sometimes meditation sessions do take time. Sometimes for what ever reason our minds are just not in to it and we have to come back to them either later in the day or another day. Meditation and mindfulness stuff on our phones are great. We can listen to them (when not driving) any time that we need to.
@DanaMH
Right, that's why I think I can do this challenge. Sitting in one place and meditating doesn't come easily to me, so while I'm still practicing that, I feel good knowing I can do something a little different such as these mindful exercises.
I want to be able to post updates to how I feel everyday during this challenge, so should i post here or on the most recent check-in thread? I feel like it will help me hold myself accountable if I keep coming back to this thread.
I'm on school campus, and it is just too hot to go to my favorite spot on my campus which is outdoors . Currently I'm in a room; I was mindful for around 2 minutes, and I stuck around in this spot with people I first thought to be annoying .They just can't shut their mouths...anyways, I wasn't comfortable sitting there watching them because I'll be invading their privacy . So a time I could do this is also when walking home. I'll give another update later in the day.
@Skyy0
That is great to hear that you can do these mindful exercises.
You can keep coming back to this thread and posting updates.
When we walk is a great way also because that way we are also exercising our body and our mind at the same time.
@DanaMH
Hi Dana thank you so much for being so supportive here hugs💜
@RumpleSteeleSkin
Thanks
Excellent! Scheduled on my calendar in the morning for 30 days! And shared to Twitter followers! Thanks!
@onwardforevenmore
Yes, I added reminder on my calendar for the items also. That is so awesome that you are sharing it with others also.
Day 1. I tried two different places for being aware of my surroundings. When eating lunch I heard constant chatter, chair shuffling, videos coming from other peoples phone's...it was all too much and disturbed my "peace" at first. After a minute, it all became background noise as I focused on my breathing and slowed myself down from the anger that was boiling. I payed attention to the many smells, how my food tasted, the texture of it, the temperature of the room, and the noise just became, simply, noise.
Next, I payed attention to my surroundings when walking home. Much more pleasurable for me as it was a peaceful walk. Very few people also on the road. The sun was just setting, casting a warm glow on all the buildings. It was hot, but not unbearable. Cars wooshing by was a simple, comforting sound.
Day 2. Birds chirping songs. When sitting in the bath, noticing the sound of the water slowly draining. Overhearing a couple, the man saying "sorry baby" affectionately when he found out he couldn't buy his girlfriend the thing she wanted.
@Skyy0
The first sound made me aware of all the living creatures in the world and how I'm not alone. Second sound was pretty calming. Third sound made me aware that I need to keep faith in love .
I'm now feeling sorry for the people who need to read all of this; guilt follows me everywhere. I don't want people to force themselves to respond to me, it's just there's no point in keeping my progress a secret.
@Skyy0
Yes, we aren't alone in this world and sometimes we forget that we need to ensure the animals don't become endangered like some have before. I agree we do need to keep faith in love.
It is not a problem and you can post as much stuff as you want to and progress is a very good thing. Also, not holding things in and writing/talking about stuff is a very good thing also.
@Skyy0
That is so awesome that you could control all that during lunch after starting to have it effect you. Awesome to hear that you were taking in your surrounds and having a pleasurable and comforting walk with sounds. I also love how you explain the details of the things you are noticing that is so wonderful.
I try to remain calm and mindful, but my mom is on her way out here to live right now, and I just want everything to go well with no family arguments. So I find myself getting easily distracted so I have a special object in my room and I la y down on my bed and meditate on that until I can bring myself back to a mindful and calm state. I'm trying my best.
@Gettingby40
That is so amazing that you try to remain calm and mindful. That is great that your mom is going to live near you. Sometimes we all have family arguments and sometimes we also need to talk to them and try to work things out but understand also that sometimes no mater what we say they just don't get it either. Meditation is awesome and helps us stay mindful and escape the world also sometimes.
That is so great that you are trying your best and that is all anyone that can ask from any of us.
Day 3 was great. I like square breathing, I did this when I was feeling overwhelmed with school work and just needed an escape.
Day 4: very peaceful walk, I didn't wake as early as I'd like, so I just did the walk I usually do when going to school.
Day 5: grateful for my life, my home, and the people in my life
@Skyy0
Day 3 That is so great to hear that you liked square breathing. I do this a lot when sitting in traffic trying to figure out why the cars in front of me aren't moving.
Day 4: That is awesome that you had a nice walk. Hope you got to enjoy a nice sunny day. I know here in about a month it will be raining and I bought a rainsuit to stay warmer on those cold/wet days.
Day 5: Those are all wonderful things to be grateful for.