Psychology Today defines Mindfulness as “a state of active, open attention to the present”. I always thought that meant formal meditation, a tool that has always escaped me. My overly active mind would not stop thinking and shut down no matter how much I tried to push those random thoughts away. It was when I broadened my thinking to include activities that tie me to the present moment that I was finally able to understand and appreciate the experience of being mindful.

I was participating in a breathing exercise once when it started to click. If I focused on my breath and how my body felt instead of trying to clear my mind entirely I was able to relax for a brief period. I found another opportunity during a movement class I attended with my husband. The instructor would take us through a stretch and then encourage us to stop and think about how our muscles felt. It felt great being in the moment, I was being mindful and didn’t even realize it. Maybe my practice needed to include some kind of movement?

Guided yoga has become my weekly mindfulness routine. I listen to my trainer and focus on following her instructions with my body. I have to stay physically and mentally connected to each moment, each breath. The lesson always finishes with Savasana, or corpse pose, where she calmly talks us through a full body check-in. For that 50 minutes the challenges I face as a PD CarePartner don’t exist and life is just about connecting with me. Self-care at its best.