With the holidays all around, this episode is an annual tradition for Helen and Valerie. For some of us, this time of year is emotionally charged due to the pressures and expectations of the holidays. Individuals can become stressed out, depressed, anxious, exhausted. For others, the joys of the season also can create the need for emotional downtime.
Valerie and Helen offer a perfect gift for anyone overwhelmed by the intensity generated during this time: a full episode of mindfulness exercises from the past year. Regardless of holiday feelings, they hope their audiences will use the healing gift of mindfulness, and will accept their best wishes for all listeners and their loved ones to have a safe, healthy new year.
Find Valerie and Helen at https://mentalhealthhopeandrecovery.com
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2024 Mindfulness Favorites
Episode 49
Helen Sneed: Welcome
Helen Sneed: Welcome to our award winning podcast, Mental Health Hope and Recovery. I'm Helen Sneed.
Valerie Milburn: And I'm Valerie Milburn.
Helen Sneed: We both have fought and overcome severe chronic mental illnesses. Our podcast offers a unique approach to mental health conditions. We use practical skills and inspirational true stories of recovery. Our knowledge is up close and personal.
Valerie Milburn: Helen and I are your peers. We're not doctors, therapists or social workers. We're not professionals, but we are experts. We are experts in our own lived experience with multiple mental health diagnoses and symptoms. Please join us on our journey.
Helen Sneed: We live in recovery, so can you.
Valerie Milburn: This podcast does not provide medical advice. The information presented is not intended to be a substitute for or relied upon as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The podcast is for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any health related questions you may have.
Helen Sneed: Welcome to our holiday episode. Now in a moment, Valerie will give you our annual gift for the holidays. But first I want to say thank you to all of you. I know firsthand how difficult this time of year can be. Yet I also know firsthand the anticipation and joy that are celebrated by many. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's about gratitude. An emotion that often overwhelms me. These days. I simply can't believe how lucky I am. But I can clearly remember the many years when even the mention of my feeling gratitude was infuriating. Grateful for what I'd lost. Everything. What I wish for you, all of our listeners around the world are connections to other people and self respect and possible joy. For that's what you've given me through your appreciation, kind remarks and piercing questions. Although we've never met you have enriched my life beyond measure during this season. Please remember that you are unique, lovable, and deserve a life worth living as much as anyone else. This is my deepest wish for all of you who honor us by listening. I wish for you to feel the hope for yourself that I do. So here's to the New Year. May you discover peace, pride, happiness and hope that reside within every person, if only they can find it.
Valerie Milburn: Such beautiful words, Helen.
Valerie Milburn: Thank you. Yes, we have a tradition here at.
Valerie Milburn: The Mental Health Hope and Recovery Podcast to close the year by sharing a collection of our favorite and our listeners favorite mindfulness exercises from throughout the year. Let's Jump Right in what is mindfulness? I always give a definition. Mindfulness means living in the present moment. Mindfulness means being intentionally aware and awake to each moment and being fully engaged in what is happening in one's surroundings with acceptance and without judgment. Since we're focusing totally on mindfulness today, I thought I would add a bit more about the concept. There are three components to mindfulness Intention, attention, and attitude. Intention is choosing to cultivate your awareness. Attention is focusing on the present moment, on your sensations and on your thoughts. Attitude is being kind, curious and non judgmental. Mindfulness is essential to me living a life of serenity, stability, and sanity. I practice mindfulness through meditation each morning and strive for mindfulness throughout my day. Let's Get Mindful Our first mindfulness exercise today is called Tapping into Our Inner Strength. Taking time to be mindful of my inner strengths is part of my self care. This exercise is a great way for us to identify our strengths. Let's do it if you're driving or walking, please adapt this mindfulness exercise in such a way that it works in your current surroundings. If you can find a comfortable seated.
Valerie Milburn: Position, try closing your eyes if it's safe to do so. Let's breathe as always, let's begin with a few diaphragmatic breaths. Whether your eyes are opened or closed, let's steady our breathing
Valerie Milburn: with two diaphragmatic breaths. When you do this on your own, take as many breaths as you need to become calm and centered. I usually take about 10. Inhale through your nose, expanding an imaginary balloon in your stomach as you inhale. Exhale through your mouth, pulling in your stomach as you do so. Again, inhale through your nose, expanding that imaginary balloon in your stomach. Drop your shoulders. Exhale through your mouth, pulling your stomach in. Pull your stomach all the way in. Keep this slow, steady breath going. Bring to mind an event that helped you feel strong today. It could be A conversation? An action? A relationship? Something you completed around what event did you feel strong today? What strengthened you today? Was it words you read? Something that someone said to you? A prayer?
Valerie Milburn: Maybe a hug?
Valerie Milburn: Exercise? A memory? What strengthened you today? In what ways did you rely on your strength today? Did you use resilience? Self? Compassion? Gratitude? Determination? Courage? Wisdom? In what ways did you rely on your strength today? Breathe in, Breathe out. Be mindful of these strengths you have tapped into. Be mindful of what you felt strong about of what strengthened you. Be mindful of the inner strength you relied on. Breathe in. Breathe out. Be mindful of your strengths. If your eyes are closed, please open them and gently bring yourself back to the room. Thank you for doing this mindfulness exercise with me.
Valerie Milburn: I love that one on strength.
Valerie Milburn: It always helps me to take a moment and realize how much strength I do indeed have. Our next exercise is called Savoring Life Through Photography.
Valerie Milburn: Many of us take hundreds of photos on our phones so often it's almost mindless. How about giving the opposite a try? Taking mindful photos, which research shows allows.
Valerie Milburn: Us to express creativity and savor life through our photography. Let's give it a try. Let's get mindful. If you are driving or walking, please adapt this mindfulness exercise in such a.
Valerie Milburn: Way that it works in your current surroundings.
Valerie Milburn: If you can find a comfortable seated position, try closing your eyes. If it's safe to do so. Let's breathe. As always, we'll begin with a few diaphragmatic breaths. Whether your eyes are opened or closed, let's steady our breathing with two diaphragmatic breaths. When you do this on your own, take as many breaths as you need to. Become calm and centered. I usually take about 10. Inhale through your nose, expanding an imaginary balloon in your stomach. As you inhale, exhale through your mouth, pulling your stomach in as you do so. Again, inhale through your nose, expanding that imaginary balloon in your stomach.
Valerie Milburn: Exhale through your mouth. Drop your shoulders. Pull your stomach all the way in. Keep this slow, steady breath going. Set a goal for next week to take photos of positive things in your everyday life. Commit to this goal. What would those positive things in your photos be? The simple pleasures of life. Like a cup of coffee, a beautiful sky, or a nice conversation. What would be in the photo that is beautiful, creative, meaningful to you? Choose something to take a photo of.
Valerie Milburn: Imagine taking in everything in the scene.
Valerie Milburn: You are photographing and taking the best photo that you can. Is it a vista or a closeup? Consider what you want to capture in the image Visualize your photo. Now imagine sharing this photo with a.
Valerie Milburn: Person one on one.
Valerie Milburn: Not sharing not sharing Media Is there someone you can share this photo with.
Valerie Milburn: One on one in person? Maybe a friend?
Valerie Milburn: A family member? A neighbor? A co worker? Visualize sharing your photo.
Valerie Milburn: Feel the connection as the two of.
Valerie Milburn: You view and share about your photo.
Valerie Milburn: If there's not an opportunity this week.
Valerie Milburn: To share in person, you can send.
Valerie Milburn: A personal email with one of your.
Valerie Milburn: Photos to someone you care about describing how the photo is meaningful to you. I'm certain you will get a positive response. If your eyes are closed, please open them and return your gaze to the room.
Valerie Milburn: Thank you for doing this mindfulness exercise with me.
Valerie Milburn: And our last mindfulness exercise.
Valerie Milburn: Today is called Unique but Connected.
Valerie Milburn: This is something that is helpful for me to remember when I find myself in situations when I compare myself to others and measure myself as less than.
Valerie Milburn: But I'm unique and connected and being.
Valerie Milburn: Mindful that I am the best me.
Valerie Milburn: I can be in that moment is.
Valerie Milburn: A positive grounding exercise.
Valerie Milburn: Let's try it.
Valerie Milburn: Let's get mindful.
Valerie Milburn: If you are driving or walking, please adapt this mindfulness exercise in such a.
Valerie Milburn: Way that it works in your current surroundings.
Valerie Milburn: If you can find a comfortable seated position, try closing your eyes. If it's safe to do so. Let's breathe. As always, let's begin with a few diaphragmatic breaths. Whether your eyes are open or closed, let's steady our breathing with two diaphragmatic breaths. When you do this on your own, take as many breaths as you need to become calm and centered. Inhale through your nose, expanding an imaginary balloon in your stomach as you inhale. Exhale through your mouth, pulling in your stomach as you do so. Again, inhale through your nose, expanding that balloon in your stomach. Drop your shoulders, exhale through your mouth, pulling in your stomach. Exhale forcefully. Pull your stomach all the way in. Keep this slow, steady breath going.
Valerie Milburn: Is there a time you can recall.
Valerie Milburn: Being in a social situation when you compared yourself to others and felt less than inadequate or out of place? When you felt disconnected from those around you? If so, visualize this situation.
Valerie Milburn: Can you recall your selft talk? Were your judgments based on assumptions you.
Valerie Milburn: Made about others in this situation? If so, was there any basis of truth for these assumptions? Were your expectations of yourself or others unrealistic? Were you doing the best you could with what you had in that moment? Now step back and see this situation again. Ask yourself were my self talk, judgments or expectations helpful to me? Ask yourself, can I organize my thoughts and mental energy in another way? Step back into the situation. Tell yourself we all have challenging periods in our lives and thus we are all connected in this way and we are all unique. I am unique. I am the best me I can be. I am beautifully unique. If your eyes are closed, please open them and gently bring yourself back to the room. Thank you for doing this mindfulness exercise with me.
Valerie Milburn: Well, that's a wrap on this mindfulness episode. And it's also a wrap for 2024, our fourth year of the Mental Health Hope and Recovery Podcast.
Valerie Milburn: We have had another year of huge.
Valerie Milburn: Growth in listeners WorldW and Helen and I are so grateful for your support. Please help us continue to reach more listeners to share our recovery and hope.
Valerie Milburn: Is our only goal.
Valerie Milburn: You can help us achieve this by sharing links to our website mentalhealthhopeandrecovery.com on your social media sites or personally with friends and family, even co workers whom you think would be encouraged by our message. And I personally ask that you leave us a review on whatever platform you listen on. What you, our listeners have to say is extremely important.
Valerie Milburn: Thank you.
Valerie Milburn: And we'd also love to hear
Valerie Milburn: directly from you. The contact link on our website mentalhealthhopeandrecovery.com comes directly to me. Please send me a note as we head into the New year, I wish us all a life within the three concepts of Mindfulness, Intention, Attention and attitude.
Valerie Milburn: And thus may we strive to live.
Valerie Milburn: Intentionally in the present moment with kindness.
Valerie Milburn: Curiosity and non judgment.
Valerie Milburn: And now I leave you with our favorite word.
Valerie Milburn: Onward.