Written by Kiana Mannani
Growing up in my strict Middle Eastern household, there was no time for any mindfulness practices or self care. It was just go to school, get A’s, volunteer, extracurriculars, come home, study, and repeat. I really did not have time to focus on myself or my mental well being.
Eventually, in college, I began to experience the symptoms of burn out but ignored them as I had no space in my calendar for a moment of peace. I was pre-med, taking every intense science course you can think of, while being the VP of a club, and working and volunteering and studying and mentoring and tutoring and the list goes on. Then, the pandemic forced everyone into solitude.
This was the first time in my busy life I had time to myself. I had time to think and process what to do with this extra free time? I began cooking more, baking, swimming, going on sunset walks, movie nights at home with family, reading and continuing with hobbies I had given up on. I understood my privilege of having a home to go to with my own room and space to unwind as many did not. However, I started to feel the pressures of being a student again once school transferred online.
Knowing how much nicer life was giving myself this space to explore, and take care of me, I had to incorporate that into my everyday life.
I decided to add mindfulness moments into my schedule to give me a moment of calm each day no matter how busy I was. Whether it be a brisk walk, a 5-min meditation, reading, or practicing some form of self-care, I felt a sense of relief for my day ahead.
The pandemic eventually eased up and life started to slowly go back to this new normal, but I started to lose track of the mentality I had once before. Months turned into years of putting mindfulness practices on the back burner. Fortunately, after starting my masters program, my professor reminded me of those little pieces of the day where I took care of me.
I now have made it a goal to integrate mindfulness practices into my life and so can you!
I start this short meditation with dimming the lights, putting on calming sounds or music, closing my eyes, taking deep breaths, and truly being present in the moment. I relax my body, unclench my jaw, ease my tense shoulders, and feel the floor beneath my feet. I give myself gratitude for all the challenges and experiences it took to get me to where I am in that moment and to leave my negative energy behind. I focus on the sounds I am hearing, my slowed heart rate, and the deep controlled breaths. After about 5 minutes, I open my eyes and immediately feel ready to take on any task ahead.
I know it’s hard to implement a new task into your daily routine, but for just a few minutes, having a mindfulness moment can make all the difference.
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