By Becky McBoom

Mindfulness is a state of being where a person is aware of their thoughts, emotions, and the way their body feels without passing judgement. Remaining mindful is an important part of an abstinence journey of any length, because it helps us stay connected to the present moment and stay in touch with how our mind and body are feeling. It can also help us decrease stress, anxiety, anger, and other emotions that lead us to drink. By cultivating a deeper connection with yourself, you can even begin to uncover some of the unhealthier factors that drive you to drink in the first place. It makes it easier to manage urges and cravings in the moment as they arrive. Being mindful helps us know when to use healthier coping skills. 

Today we will explore five different tools for staying mindful: Grounding Exercises, Breathing Exercises, Body Scans, Meditations, and Mindfulness Apps

Grounding Exercises:

Grounding exercises are helpful because they can help you divert your attention from the noise in your head and increase mindfulness. A simple one that you can do anywhere is the 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise.

5-4-3-2-1 Exercise:

1. 5 things you see: Identify five objects or details in your surroundings that you can see. 
2. 4 things you touch: Focus on four sensations of touch, such as the texture of your clothes, the chair you’re sitting on, or the air on your skin. 
3. 3 things you hear: Listen to three different sounds around you, such as the ticking of a clock, traffic noises, or birds singing. 
4. 2 things you smell: Identify two distinct smells, such as coffee, perfume, or the outdoors. 
5. 1 thing you taste: Notice one taste sensation, even if it’s just the taste of your own saliva. 

Check out this article from therapistaid.com for more grounding exercises.

Breathing Exercises:

Breathing exercises can come in handy when experiencing the difficult emotions that lead us to drink. One simple breathing exercise you can do to remain mindful is Box Breathing.

Box Breathing:

1. Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose (?) for four seconds.
3. Hold your breath for four seconds.
4. Exhale slowly and evenly through your mouth for four seconds.
5. Hold your breath again for four seconds.
6. Repeat these steps for as long as desired.

Check out these additional breathing techniques:

Belly Breathing

Pursed Lips Breathing

4-7-8 Breathing

Body Scans:

Body scans are a great way to check in with how your body is feeling and release any tension you can be carrying. They can be done in any position with your eyes open or closed, but they are traditionally done laying on your back with your palms facing up and your eyes closed. Whatever position you choose, make sure you are comfortable and laying still.

Begin by becoming aware of your breath. Don’t change the way you breathe, but pay attention to the rhythm and speed. Next, draw your attention to how your body feels. How do your clothes feel against your skin? How does your body feel against the surface on which it is resting? How does the temperature of the room affect your body? Finally, guide your awareness to parts of your body that are tense or sore. Release any tension you feel by activating the muscles around that area and then relaxing them. Do any parts of your body feel tingly? How about light or heavy? 

Some people find it easier to listen to a guided body scan and follow along with the instructions. Here are some body scans of varying lengths produced by the UCSD Center for Mindfulness and hosted on Soundcloud if you would like to try them at a later time:

10-Min Body Scan by Christy Cassisa

20-Min Body Scan by Marta Patterson

30-Min Body Scan by Luis Morones

40-Min Body Scan by Deborah Rana

Meditations:

The practice of meditation can help us remain mindful by focusing our mind until we achieve a state of calmness and awareness. There are many ways to do it, but it generally involves monitoring your breath and thoughts. Below are some simple meditations to get you started.

10 Minute Mindfulness Meditation by Calm

5 Minute Meditation You Can Do Anywhere by Goodful

Guided Meditation for Anxiety by Priory

Mindfulness Apps:

Mindfulness apps are a great resource for grounding exercises, breathing exercises, body scans, and meditations. There are many apps available, but here are three of our favorites. 

Headspace– “Through evidence-based meditation and mindfulness tools, mental health coaching, therapy, psychiatry, Headspace helps you create life-changing habits to support your mental health and find a healthier, happier you.”

Calm– “We’re a mental health brand with the #1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation, with over 150 million downloads and 2.5M 5-star reviews. We’re here to help you sleep more, stress less and live mindfully.”

The Mindfulness App– “We made a digital tool accessible by everyone to meditate and practice mindfulness. Our app offers an extensive number of meditations with world-renowned teachers, customizable settings, and daily encouragement.”