I do not like meditating. Actually, most of the time when I start to meditate, I start to spiral down into sad or angry thoughts. Does this mean I should give up on meditation? Not necessarily, but I need something else to quite my mind. I need another way to calm my anxieties.
Here are three mindfulness exercises I’ve learned based on psychology.
- Observing a Leaf (or any object with a lot of detail)
Find your leaf or detailed object, and find a place to sit comfortably for a while. Try to find a place with minimal distractions.
Once you are comfortable, take the object in your hands. Now you are going to place all your attention on the object. Observe it, fully.
Look at the patterns on the object. See the different colors, lines and textures. For example, “The leaf has yellow 
lines starting from its stem and reaching out to various sides.” Another example, “The leaf has one brown tip and four yellow tips.”
You can make as many observations as you like, but stay away from judgment (e.g. the leaf is an ugly brown color).
There are many things to focus on, and you can go through your senses.
Sight: What does it look like?
Touch: What does it feel like? What are the different textures?
Taste: Please don’t taste the leaf unless you really want to…
Smell: What does it smell like?
Sound: Does it make any sounds?
I would give myself a time limit for this exercise. I’d say start with 5 minutes, but if that seems too long, try for 2. Remember, these are exercises. We may not be able to keep our attention in control very long in the beginning, but that changes with practice.
2.Mindful Eating
A lot of people do this exercise to have a healthier relationship with food. I do this because when I’m stressed out chocolate is going in my mouth anyways. So….
Take a piece of chocolate( You can take any small piece of food.), and put it in your mouth. Now just leave it there for a second and make some observations. Just like in our first exercise, we want to stay away from judgmental observations.
Focus on your senses. Some example questions:
- Does the food feel soft or hard?
- Does is taste bitter or sweet?
- Is the food melting in your mouth?
- Is the food causing more saliva in your mouth?
When you are ready to chew, if necessary(chocolate melts) make observations then as well. Notice of the food’s texture changes. Notice how hard or soft you are chewing. Be sure you are taking your time to savor the food. You are trying to be as present as you can while you eat.
When you are done, remember that this is a mindfulness practice. Make sure you end so it doesn’t become mindless eating. If you were eating chocolate, go ahead and repeat once more. Just try to be as mindful and observant as you were the first time 😉
- Mindful Movement
This is my favorite way to be mindful. I am a mover, so it makes sense. Fellow movers, listen up.
Yoga and/or Tai Chi!
That’s it.
No? Okay…I’ll say a little more.
Yoga and Tai Chi are both forms of mindful movement. They both connect the body with the breath, and they both require focus.
I recommend taking a class or following someone on a video. If you think you’ll be judgmental about yourself in a class, do a video at home. Someone guiding you is key. At the very least, you can focus in on the instructor’s directions/voice. Don’t judge. Remain task oriented.
Those are my 3 meditation alternatives, friends. They are actually suggestions from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), which I studied and practiced for some time. DBT was originally created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, but it’s now recognized as a standard treatment for many things including stress and mental illnesses.
If you are interested in learning more, here a couple of books:
