7 Day Mindful Minute Challenge

Mindfulness is defined as non-judgmental, present moment awareness.  While mindfulness is not a religious practice, it has been proven to alleviate suffering among those who practice it.  Mindfulness can be cultivated in many ways, such as meditation, breath work, and yoga.  These are only a few examples of formal practices can lead to a more acute state of awareness in which the mind and the body are connected in the present moment.

One can spend years studying and applying just one practice.  In today's fast-paced world, time for formal practices can sometimes be pushed aside for other tasks on the to-do list.  The good news is that mindfulness is not an all-or-nothing practice.  For every moment we bring ourselves into the present is a moment we are not going through the motions on auto-pilot.  The more you practice, the easier it is to be mindful throughout each day.  Mindfulness allows us to experience each moment as it is happening and can lead to a much richer experience of the little moments that make up our lifetime.

Is it possible to become more mindful in just one minute a day?  That's what the 7-Day Mindful Minute Challenge aims to find out.  This experiment is open to everyone.  This challenge is based on The 24 Hour Mini-Mindful Moment Challenge by Elisha Goldstein.  

The rules are simple:

For seven days, set an alarm for a specific time each day.  It can be the same time each day, or it can be a different or even random time each day.  When you hear the alarm, take one minute to notice your BELT (Body, Emotions, Location, Thoughts).

• Body:  Notice how your body is positioned.  Notice if there's any tension anywhere.
• Emotions:  Are you angry, frustrated, calm, happy, sad, stressed?
• Location:  Where are you?
• Thoughts:  Are you worrying, stewing, rehashing, planning?  Are you stuck in the past or the future?

Once you've checked in with your BELT, take 3 deep breaths.  That's it.  You're done for the day.  Repeat this for seven days.

I thought it would be interesting to challenge myself for one week, and I thought it would be fun to invite others to join me.  The challenge is set to begin on February 8th.

I will provide daily prompts and encouragement for the 7-day Mindful Minute Challenge.  At the end of the Challenge, I will ask all who participated to complete a short survey.  I will use those findings to report any benefits or drawbacks to this challenge.

If you would like to participate, click here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/723391281028244

Follow my other mindfulness-based work at www.mindfulnessonthemove.com

Don't have a Facebook account, but still want to participate?  Click here to sign up!

http://www.bodymindjoy.com/7-day-mindfulness-challenge.html