From the course: Mindfulness Practices

Practice: Evening mindfulness

From the course: Mindfulness Practices

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Practice: Evening mindfulness

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- Our work days are often stressful. This stress can carry over to our personal lives and impact those closest to us. One of my deepest career regrets is when my daughter was young I was often stressed when I came home from work. It prevented me from enjoying many special moments with her and being fully present to her and what she needed from me. I can't bring those years back, but now when she visits me from college, I'm more conscious of being present. My mindfulness practice hasn't made me perfect but it has helped me notice when I'm not present. In that noticing, I can make a different choice. This evening practice is to help you transition to your personal life. It will help bring your day into perspective and bring a fresher and more relaxed you to those you care about. Find a quiet space. Shut off any distractions. Sit comfortably relaxing your shoulders, your feet on the floor, your spine straight. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Inhale and then long exhale. Start to become aware of the feeling of your breath as it goes in. Notice where you feel it's strongest. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. We will inhale for a count of three and exhale for a count of six. Long and slow exhales stimulate the body's rest and relax nervous system. They help us find calm. Let's start. Inhale to two, three. Exhale, two, three, four, five, six. Inhale, two, three. Exhale, two, three, four, five, six. Inhale, two, three. Exhale, two, three, four, five, six. Notice if anything has shifted in how you feel now. Breathe normally. Let your mind wander to the important moments of the day. As thoughts arise, just label them as thought. Take a breath and let these thoughts go. Notice if there's any feelings. Label the feeling. It could be stress or restlessness, or tiredness or anything else. See if you can locate the feeling in the body. Breathe into that space. Accept any feelings without judgment. Now put your awareness in your body. If a part of your body feels tense, stretch it. Take a deep breath, and as you breathe out, release any tension that you feel. As you shift to what's next for you, imagine showing up present with yourself wherever you are, acknowledging and fully accepting what's here now. Take a breath. Inhale, long exhale. Visualize how you'd like to show up. What impact do you want to have on others around you? You can pause this if you'd like to continue the practice longer. (gong chiming) When you're ready, you can open your eyes, say as silent thank you for taking the time to be present for yourself at the end of your day. Savor what it feels like right now. Until the next time, my friends.

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