Four Week December Mindfulness Challenge

The holidays can be a fun yet busy time of year.

One of the best ways to combat stress is to practice mindfulness which may help decrease stress, anxiety, and depression.

We’re challenging you to incorporate some mindfulness into your daily routine with four challenges.

Be sure to bookmark this article to refer back to each week to remind yourself of the weekly and daily challenges.

Resources For Your Month of Mindfulness

There are many resources to learn more about mindfulness.

YouTube has a wealth of free tutorials and videos as well as a wealth of free guided meditations.

In addition, you can also download mindfulness apps such as:

• Calm
• Headspace
• 10% Happier
• Insight Timer
• Simple Habit
• Stop, Think, and Breathe

Week 1: Assess Your Current Mindfulness

CHALLENGE: PRACTICE A MOMENT OF MINDFULNESS ONCE A DAY

Do you find yourself often distracted? Do you feel like life is too busy? What are you thinking about as you brush your teeth, drive, or do household chores? Are you often on autopilot?

To assess your current mindfulness you can take this quiz created by researchers at La Salle University and Drexel University found here. 

One of the great things about mindfulness is you can practice them anywhere.

To get started, make note of what you are thinking about when doing ordinary and seemingly mundane daily activities. Work on limiting those distractions and focusing on the task at hand.

Week 2: Practice Mindful Eating

CHALLENGE: PRACTICE MINDFUL EATING AT LEAST ONE TIME EVERY DAY, EITHER ON ITS OWN OR AS PART OF A MEAL.

Take time this week to nourish your body with the flavors and sensations of food.

Jon Kabat-Zinn is a world-renown expert on meditation and mindfulness who is famous for his raisin mindfulness exercise.

You can try this meditation with anything. We’ll walk you through an example below using chocolate.

Mindful Eating Exercise

Grab your piece of chocolate and follow along:

1. Take a moment to unwrap your piece of chocolate. What do you hear as you do this?
2. Hold the chocolate in your fingers. Feel the weight of the chocolate.
3. See the chocolate. What color is it? Does it have any designs? Imagine that you had to describe this chocolate to someone who has never had chocolate before. How would you describe it?
4. Touch the chocolate. Does it feel warm or cold? Is it smooth or bumpy? Feel what the chocolate feels like between your fingers.
5. Smell the chocolate. Give that piece of chocolate a big sniff. What does it smell like? Does it have a smell at all?
6. Place the chocolate in your mouth – but don’t chew it, just let it rest on your tongue. How does it feel in there? Does it feel heavy on your tongue? What is the temperature? Does it start to melt in your mouth without you having to chew?
7. Chew the chocolate. Is it hard or soft? What is the texture like? Chew thoroughly here. Notice the difference in flavor of the chocolate when you let it melt in your mouth compared to chewing it.
8. Swallow the chocolate slowly. Think about all of the different processes that have to go on in your mouth for you to swallow. What are your tongue, throat, and lips doing? What does the chocolate feel like when you swallow?
9. After effects: what is the flavor left in your mouth. Is it waxy? Sweet? Bitter? Did the chocolate leave a pleasant aftertaste?

You can try this activity with any food. It may surprise you what you discover that you’ve never noticed before.

Week 3: Practice Gratitude

CHALLENGE: TAKE TIME EACH DAY TO WRITE DOWN AND REFLECT ON ONE THING THAT YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR.

Pull out your journal, computer, or favorite app to assist you this week.

Set aside 5-10 minutes each day to identify one thing you are grateful for.

Here are some areas to reflect on to get you started:

• Where you live
• Family
• Friends
• Your work
• Hobbies

Practicing gratitude can help shift your awareness and focus toward the positive aspects of your life.  A gratitude practice is especially important when life gets busy or more hectic.

You can read more about a positivity practice on our blog post rewiring your brain for happiness.

Week 4: Find Mindful Movement

CHALLENGE: PRACTICE MINDFUL MOVEMENT ONCE A DAY.

Incorporating mindfulness into your movement. This can be done on a walk or during your regular workout. Take a few moments to bring awareness to your body and senses while exercising.

You can do this by focusing on different parts of your body and noticing how they’re moving and feeling. You can also focus on your breath, noticing the sensation of breathing in and out in your body.

Another activity you can try is the Five Senses Mindfulness activity

Try this mindfulness exercise while being outside on a walk.

• Notice five things you can See
• Pay attention to four things you can Feel
• What are three things you can Hear
• Notice two things you can Smell
• What is one thing you can Taste

The Bottom Line  

Practicing mindfulness during your daily activities can slow things down and enhance your appreciation for the positive things in your life.

Throughout this month, assess and notice your mindfulness. Practice mindful eating, gratitude, and mindful movement to decrease stress and end the year a little happier.