Stress also plays tricks. One moment you are going along as you live your day and all of a sudden you feel dizzy, your teeth grit and you are yelling at somebody over something trivial. Sound familiar? It happens. Human beings are in an era where life does not leave room to breathe.

However, sometimes you actually do not want a scented candle and a perfect lotus pose, you just need to have some time off. A short, upright and down piece of time in which to live. Cure is not mentioned, only fighting. So as not to disturb all things.

Watch Your Breath (Without Managing It)

Sit down. Now shut your eyes. Pay attention to your breath; the way it already is. In. Out. Do not make any effort to make it slower or do anything to it. Simply observe. You will lose your train of thought. That’s okay. Calmly make it re-enter.

This will alter your mood even when it lasts a couple of minutes.

Body Scan

Most of the time, stress manifests itself in the body first, as tense shoulders, a clenched jaw or a rigid back. Get into the position of lying down or sitting or lying comfortably and slowly move down your body, head to toe. Just notice. Do not attempt to relax or do something to change it. In some instances, knowing in itself eases the tension to ease.

Be Confident with the 5 senses

Feeling overwhelmed? Get your anchor with this fast game. Name

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can touch
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing that you can taste or which you know you taste

Mental Noise can be labeled

At the time when you have a cluttered mind, consider naming the thoughts. Worrying. Planning. Judging. We put label on them so that there is space between you and the storm- you step away rather than becoming drawn into it.

The thoughts do not have to be changed. Take a mere glance at them afar off.

Loving-Kindness (for Yourself and Others)

This one would be about softening it towards yourself and towards people around you. Sit still and say sweet words such as:

“May I be safe.”

“May I be calm.”

“May I be kind to myself.”

And then reach out to other persons– your friends and strangers and even those that irritate you–with those same wishes. This mellows down your inner world.

Take a Mindful Walk

Mindfulness does not require you to sit still. Go for a leisurely stroll in your house, your block, or even around your room. Listen to the way you stand on your feet, the sensations in your body, what you hear, see and smell. Make your moor the walk.

Stop and Label How You Feel

Overwhelmed? Take a break and call the emotion: stress, frustration, exhaustion, anger.

Expressing emotions through a word can lessen them. It cannot solve all your problems but it can make you act out of response and not out of the reaction.

Take advantage of Micro-Moments of Stillness

You do not have to put up a whole session to be mindful. A matter of seconds would make a difference here and there. Waiting to get the kettle boiled? Waiting at a red stoplight? Between emails? Take a second breath. Touch your feet on the ground. Hear something.

Stress will not go spinning out of control when broken by tiny moments of rest in your day. They advocate: there is peace–even amidst the storm.

Meditation (Don’t Overdo It)

Take a notebook or a phone or a sticker. Just write whatever you have going round in your head, no form, no format, you do not need to be poetic. You do not come here to impress; you come here to make space. Write, write what is wrong with you, what made you laugh or even a list of spontaneous thoughts. The action of getting words on paper calms down the storm within. And occasionally, you get days where you are just in a place where your thoughts are heard without being judged.

Conclusion

Perfection is not part of mindfulness. It is not shutting down your mind and being different. It is all just about checking in, with grace and without prejudice.

Some minutes. A breath. A word in kindness. And that is all you have to do.

Test one of these methods today. Pick presence over panic and calm over chaos. It is a small gesture, but it consists of such small gestures. And there are days, when that is sufficient.