Thank you so much for signing up to my Mindfulness Advent Calendar. I am so glad to have you on board.
Here’s a little housekeeping as we go along…
What is mindfulness?
My working definition is
“Paying attention to what’s going on right here, right now, inside of us and outside of us…
…with kindness, curiosity and non-judgement.”
So, my mindfulness advent calendar offers a range of activities - both formal and informal - to help us connect to the “now” and most importantly with compassion.
Christmas can be a frenetic time – personally and at work - so my hope is to help you find some respite, come out of autopilot and slow down, bringing balance back into our lives.
You don’t need to do all the exercises or on the day suggested, but rather see it as equipping yourself with a mindfulness toolkit you can take with you into the new year.
Wandering Minds
Our minds think… it’s what they do. Mindfulness isn’t about clearing our thoughts but more about watching them and noticing patterns. So, when your mind wanders (note “when” not “if”), gently escort it back to the focus of attention. Please do not be harsh on yourself or think you are failing if you become distracted. It is all part of the practice.
You are always in control
If at any time you feel uncomfortable with any activity or guidance, please stop. Open your eyes, take a breath, move… Come back to the exercise later or not at all. You are in control at all times.
I’m here if you want to talk…
If at any times you experience any difficulties, have any queries, or just curious to know more or why, please do contact me for a chat, by email or telephone. My contact details are in the footer of every email.