2024 Mindfulness Favorites

[00:00:01] The following podcast is part of the MindBodySpirit.fm podcast network.

[00:00:14] Welcome to our award-winning podcast, Mental Health, Hope and Recovery.

[00:00:20] I'm Helen Sneed.

[00:00:21] And I'm Valerie Milburn.

[00:00:24] We both have fought and overcome severe chronic mental illnesses.

[00:00:29] Our podcast offers a unique approach to mental health conditions.

[00:00:32] We use practical skills and inspirational true stories of recovery.

[00:00:37] Our knowledge is up close and personal.

[00:00:41] Helen and I are your peers.

[00:00:43] We're not doctors, therapists or social workers.

[00:00:46] We're not professionals, but we are experts.

[00:00:49] We are experts in our own lived experience with multiple mental health diagnoses and symptoms.

[00:00:56] Please join us on our journey.

[00:00:59] We live in recovery.

[00:01:01] So can you.

[00:01:03] This podcast does not provide medical advice.

[00:01:06] The information presented is not intended to be a substitute for or relied upon as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

[00:01:16] The podcast is for informational purposes only.

[00:01:19] Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any health-related questions you may have.

[00:01:29] Welcome to our holiday episode.

[00:01:32] Now in a moment, Valerie will give you our annual gift for the holidays.

[00:01:37] But first, I want to say thank you to all of you.

[00:01:41] I know firsthand how difficult this time of year can be.

[00:01:45] Yet I also know firsthand the anticipation and joy that are celebrated by many.

[00:01:51] Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's about gratitude.

[00:01:55] An emotion that often overwhelms me these days.

[00:01:58] I simply can't believe how lucky I am.

[00:02:00] But I can clearly remember the many years when even the mention of my feeling gratitude was infuriating.

[00:02:07] Grateful for what?

[00:02:09] I'd lost everything.

[00:02:12] What I wish for you, all of our listeners around the world, are connections to other people and self-respect.

[00:02:19] And if possible, joy.

[00:02:21] For that's what you've given me through your appreciation, kind remarks, and piercing questions.

[00:02:28] Although we've never met, you have enriched my life beyond measure.

[00:02:32] During this season, please remember that you are unique, lovable, and deserve a life worth living as much as anyone else.

[00:02:41] This is my deepest wish for all of you who honor us by listening.

[00:02:45] I wish for you to feel the hope for yourself that I do.

[00:02:50] So here's to the new year.

[00:02:52] May you discover peace, pride, happiness, and hope that reside within every person, if only they can find it.

[00:02:59] Such beautiful words, Helen.

[00:03:02] Thank you.

[00:03:03] Yes, we have a tradition here at the Mental Health Hope and Recovery Podcast to close the year by sharing a collection of our favorite,

[00:03:11] and our listeners' favorite, mindfulness exercises from throughout the year.

[00:03:16] Let's jump right in.

[00:03:18] What is mindfulness?

[00:03:20] I always give a definition.

[00:03:22] Mindfulness means living in the present moment.

[00:03:25] Mindfulness means being intentionally aware and awake to each other.

[00:03:29] Each moment and being fully engaged in what is happening in one's surroundings with acceptance and without judgment.

[00:03:38] Since we're focusing totally on mindfulness today, I thought I would add a bit more about the concept.

[00:03:45] There are three components to mindfulness.

[00:03:48] Intention, attention, and attitude.

[00:03:51] Intention is choosing to cultivate your awareness.

[00:03:56] Attention is focusing on the present moment, on your sensations, and on your thoughts.

[00:04:03] Attitude is being kind, curious, and nonjudgmental.

[00:04:09] Mindfulness is essential to me living a life of serenity, stability, and sanity.

[00:04:17] I practice mindfulness through meditation each morning and strive for mindfulness throughout my day.

[00:04:25] Let's get mindful.

[00:04:29] Our first mindfulness exercise today is called tapping into our inner strength.

[00:04:35] Taking time to be mindful of my inner strengths is part of my self-care.

[00:04:40] This exercise is a great way for us to identify our strengths.

[00:04:44] Let's do it.

[00:04:45] If you're driving or walking, please adapt this mindfulness exercise in such a way that it works in your current surroundings.

[00:04:54] If you can, find a comfortable seated position.

[00:04:59] Try closing your eyes if it's safe to do so.

[00:05:03] Let's breathe.

[00:05:04] As always, let's begin with a few diaphragmatic breaths.

[00:05:11] Whether your eyes are open or closed, let's steady our breathing with two diaphragmatic breaths.

[00:05:18] When you do this on your own, take as many breaths as you need to become calm and centered.

[00:05:24] I usually take about ten.

[00:05:27] Inhale through your nose, expanding an imaginary balloon in your stomach as you inhale.

[00:05:36] Exhale through your mouth, pulling in your stomach as you do so.

[00:05:45] Again.

[00:05:46] Inhale through your nose, expanding that imaginary balloon in your stomach.

[00:05:52] Drop your shoulders.

[00:05:55] Exhale through your mouth, pulling your stomach in.

[00:06:00] Pull your stomach all the way in.

[00:06:05] Keep this slow, steady breath going.

[00:06:12] Bring to mind an event that helped you feel strong today.

[00:06:18] It could be a conversation, an action, a relationship, something you completed.

[00:06:27] Around what event did you feel strong today?

[00:06:37] What strengthened you today?

[00:06:40] Was it words you read?

[00:06:42] Something that someone said to you?

[00:06:44] A prayer?

[00:06:46] Maybe a hug?

[00:06:48] Exercise?

[00:06:49] A memory?

[00:06:51] What strengthened you today?

[00:07:03] In what ways did you rely on your strength today?

[00:07:08] Did you use resilience?

[00:07:11] Self-compassion?

[00:07:13] Gratitude?

[00:07:15] Determination?

[00:07:17] Courage?

[00:07:18] Wisdom?

[00:07:20] In what ways did you rely on your strength today?

[00:07:31] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:07:39] Be mindful of these strengths you have tapped into.

[00:07:45] Be mindful of what you felt strong about.

[00:07:48] Of what strengthened you.

[00:07:51] Be mindful of the inner strength you relied on.

[00:07:57] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:08:02] Be mindful of your strengths.

[00:08:11] If your eyes are closed, please open them and gently bring yourself back to the room.

[00:08:18] Thank you for doing this mindfulness exercise with me.

[00:08:27] Love that one on strength.

[00:08:29] It always helps me to take a moment and realize how much strength I do indeed have.

[00:08:33] Our next exercise is called savoring life through photography.

[00:08:42] Many of us take hundreds of photos on our phones.

[00:08:46] So often it's almost mindless.

[00:08:49] How about giving the opposite a try?

[00:08:52] Taking mindful photos, which research shows allows us to express creativity and savor life through our photography.

[00:09:01] Let's give it a try.

[00:09:04] Let's get mindful.

[00:09:07] If you are driving or walking, please adapt this mindfulness exercise in such a way that it works in your current surroundings.

[00:09:14] If you can, find a comfortable seated position.

[00:09:18] Try closing your eyes if it's safe to do so.

[00:09:22] Let's breathe.

[00:09:23] As always, we'll begin with a few diaphragmatic breaths.

[00:09:30] Whether your eyes are open or closed, let's steady our breathing with two diaphragmatic breaths.

[00:09:38] When you do this on your own, take as many breaths as you need to become calm and centered.

[00:09:44] I usually take about ten.

[00:09:48] Inhale through your nose, expanding an imaginary balloon in your stomach as you inhale.

[00:09:57] Exhale through your mouth, pulling your stomach in as you do so.

[00:10:07] Again, inhale through your nose, expanding that imaginary balloon in your stomach.

[00:10:17] Exhale through your mouth.

[00:10:19] Drop your shoulders.

[00:10:23] Pull your stomach all the way in.

[00:10:29] Keep this slow, steady breath going.

[00:10:32] Set a goal for next week to take photos of positive things in your everyday life.

[00:10:49] Commit to this goal.

[00:10:56] What would those positive things in your photos be?

[00:11:00] The simple pleasures of life like a cup of coffee,

[00:11:03] a beautiful sky,

[00:11:06] or a nice conversation

[00:11:13] would be in the photo that is beautiful, creative, meaningful to you.

[00:11:21] Choose something to take a photo of.

[00:11:32] Imagine taking in everything in the scene you are photographing

[00:11:37] and taking the best photo that you can.

[00:11:44] Is it a vista or a close-up?

[00:11:52] Consider what you want to capture in the image.

[00:12:00] Visualize your photo.

[00:12:08] Now, imagine sharing this photo with a person, one-on-one.

[00:12:15] Not sharing, not sharing.

[00:12:19] Is there someone you can share this photo with one-on-one in person?

[00:12:24] Maybe a friend, a family member, a neighbor, a co-worker?

[00:12:32] Visualize sharing your photo.

[00:12:42] Feel the connection as the two of you view and share about your photo.

[00:12:56] If there's not an opportunity this week to share in person,

[00:13:00] you can send a personal email with one of your photos

[00:13:05] to someone you care about,

[00:13:08] describing how the photo is meaningful to you.

[00:13:10] I'm certain you will get a positive response.

[00:13:17] If your eyes are closed,

[00:13:18] please open them and return your gaze to the room.

[00:13:22] Thank you for doing this mindfulness exercise with me.

[00:13:25] And our last mindfulness exercise today is called

[00:13:37] Unique but Connected.

[00:13:38] Unique and Connected.

[00:13:39] This is something that is helpful for me to remember

[00:13:42] when I find myself in situations when I compare myself to others

[00:13:48] and measure myself as less than.

[00:13:51] But I'm unique and connected.

[00:13:54] And being mindful that I am the best me I can be in that moment

[00:13:59] is a positive grounding exercise.

[00:14:01] Let's try it.

[00:14:03] Let's get mindful.

[00:14:06] If you are driving or walking,

[00:14:08] please adapt this mindfulness exercise in such a way

[00:14:11] that it works in your current surroundings.

[00:14:14] If you can,

[00:14:15] find a comfortable seated position.

[00:14:19] Try closing your eyes if it's safe to do so.

[00:14:23] Let's breathe.

[00:14:25] As always,

[00:14:26] let's begin with a few diaphragmatic breaths.

[00:14:30] Whether your eyes are open or closed,

[00:14:33] let's steady our breathing

[00:14:34] with two diaphragmatic breaths.

[00:14:38] When you do this on your own,

[00:14:39] take as many breaths as you need

[00:14:41] to become calm and centered.

[00:14:46] Inhale through your nose,

[00:14:48] expanding an imaginary balloon in your stomach

[00:14:50] as you inhale.

[00:14:55] Exhale through your mouth,

[00:14:58] pulling in your stomach as you do so.

[00:15:03] Again, inhale through your nose,

[00:15:07] expanding that balloon in your stomach.

[00:15:10] Drop your shoulders.

[00:15:12] Exhale through your mouth,

[00:15:15] pulling in your stomach.

[00:15:17] Exhale forcefully.

[00:15:19] Pull your stomach all the way in.

[00:15:24] Keep this slow, steady breath going.

[00:15:28] Is there a time you can recall being in a social situation

[00:15:38] when you compared yourself to others

[00:15:40] and felt less than, inadequate, or out of place?

[00:15:46] When you felt disconnected from those around you?

[00:15:52] If so, visualize this situation.

[00:16:03] Can you recall your self-talk?

[00:16:13] Were your judgments based on assumptions

[00:16:16] you made about others in this situation?

[00:16:21] If so, was there any basis of truth for these assumptions?

[00:16:25] Were your expectations of yourself or others unrealistic?

[00:16:43] Were you doing the best you could

[00:16:45] with what you had in that moment?

[00:16:53] Now step back and see this situation again.

[00:16:57] Ask yourself,

[00:17:00] were my self-talk,

[00:17:02] judgments, or expectations helpful to me?

[00:17:09] Ask yourself,

[00:17:10] can I organize my thoughts and mental energy

[00:17:13] in another way?

[00:17:20] Step back into the situation.

[00:17:24] Tell yourself,

[00:17:25] we all have challenging periods in our lives

[00:17:29] and thus we are all connected in this way.

[00:17:34] And we are all unique.

[00:17:36] I am unique.

[00:17:38] I am the best me I can be.

[00:17:41] I am beautifully unique.

[00:17:49] If your eyes are closed,

[00:17:51] please open them and gently bring yourself back

[00:17:53] to the room.

[00:17:56] Thank you for doing this

[00:17:57] mindfulness exercise with me.

[00:18:04] Well, that's a wrap on this mindfulness episode.

[00:18:07] And it's also a wrap for 2024,

[00:18:10] our fourth year of the Mental Health,

[00:18:13] Hope and Recovery podcast.

[00:18:15] We have had another year of huge growth

[00:18:19] in listeners worldwide.

[00:18:21] And Helen and I are so grateful for your support.

[00:18:25] Please help us continue to reach more listeners

[00:18:28] to share our recovery and hope is our only goal.

[00:18:32] You can help us achieve this by sharing links to our website,

[00:18:37] mentalhealthhopeandrecovery.com

[00:18:38] on your social media sites,

[00:18:40] or personally with friends and family,

[00:18:42] even coworkers,

[00:18:43] whom you think would be encouraged by our message.

[00:18:47] And I personally ask that you leave us a review

[00:18:50] on whatever platform you listen on.

[00:18:53] What you, our listeners, have to say is extremely important.

[00:18:58] Thank you.

[00:19:01] And we'd also love to hear directly from you.

[00:19:04] The contact link on our website,

[00:19:07] mentalhealthhopeandrecovery.com

[00:19:09] comes directly to me.

[00:19:11] Please send me a note.

[00:19:13] As we head into the new year,

[00:19:18] I wish us all a life within the three concepts of mindfulness,

[00:19:23] intention, attention, and attitude.

[00:19:27] And thus,

[00:19:29] may we strive to live intentionally in the present moment

[00:19:33] with kindness, curiosity, and non-judgment.

[00:19:39] And now, I leave you with our favorite word,

[00:19:43] onward.

[00:19:43] Onward.