10 Ways to be Mindful This Winter

Hey, guys!

Second semester of senior year has flown by and it's hit me like a ton of bricks. Between school, work, my internship, and well, life, it's been a real whirlwind. And now it's almost time for spring break. Where has the time gone? It seems to just keep slipping away from me as every action-packed day goes by, and before I know it, it'll be time for graduation!

In all of the hustle and bustle over the past few years, I've begun to implement mindfulness practices into my daily life as a means of taking care of my tired, overworked mind and body. I've really learned to cherish the little things that make me happy and bring me peace. While I can't always find time to do everything that I'd like, I try to make time to do at least something because my days become infinitely better when I do.

To me, mindfulness implies a large variety of practices and activities. It can really mean just about anything that helps you stay grounded in the present and feel at peace. And occasionally, a big part of this entails a little bit of selfishness--which is okay sometimes.

Learning to put myself first--before school and work and even my social life--hasn't been an easy task. There's always something to do--and I feel the inherent need to do it. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way, so I'd like to share some of the things that keep me afloat (and on some days, sane) in hopes that you might find some inspiration for your own practices!

• Yoga. I try to do at least 10-15 min of yoga and light stretching every night. Trying to find balance while grounding myself with deep breaths always helps me relax before bed. It keeps my mind in the here and now, and my worries from the day all seem to slip away for a moment or two.

• Meditation. This one definitely ties in with yoga, deep breathing, and stretching. I never used to like meditation because I found it difficult to truly focus and would stress about having to constantly bring my mind back to the present. But last year, after taking a KORU mindfulness workshop on my campus, I learned that meditation is actually just that: it's the process of constantly bringing your mind back no matter how often it strays. This is especially helpful when I'm plagued with stress and anxiety about a long to-do list or have a big exam coming up. It teaches me to stay in the present, and to let go of the past and fears of the future.

• Clean! Literally everything and anything. Stress cleaning is one of my favorite hobbies; a clean work environment is a happy and productive one for me! 

• If you're a writer, write! I try to write or at least edit something every day. Poetry has been my favorite genre as of late and helps me reflect on my day, process feelings, or just slip away for a while.  
• Dance it out. You can usually find me dancing in my kitchen while cooking and pretending I can actually dance.
• Cook or bake something. If you enjoy it like I do, it's a great way to get your mind off of things while still being productive. 

• Make your favorite tea. A perfect cup of ginger tea or golden milk can do wonders after a long, cold winter day. 

• Take a long, hot bath and just relax. I love adding things like epsom salt, essential oils, or ginger to my baths to make them a little bit more beneficial for my body. 

• Download a mindfulness app. Calm and Headspace are really awesome options and have helped a lot of people I know, myself included! 

• Get out of the house! Do something fun! Go for a walk--or a run, if that's your thing (and if it isn't too cold out)! Watch the sunset! Go get some work done at a coffee shop or literally anywhere else than your messy desk or sticky kitchen table. Changing up your environment can do wonders.

These are just a few of the many things that help me balance out the stress of school and dullness of these cold, dark Ithaca days.

Everyone needs a little something to lift their spirits every so often. I hope you'll keep some of these practices and more in mind as you tackle whatever your daily hustle is!

What do you do to combat the inevitable stress of college/work life?

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo,

Anastasia