5 mindful activities that cost nothing & mean everything
3 Nov, 2022
Mindful activities do not have to cost us a penny. Mindfulness is a way to experience the things we do.
1) Caring for a plant…
Regardless of weather you consider yourself a greenthumb or not, I would argue that adopting a plant into your life can be a decision with monumental (and mutual) benefits that’s worth the effort. Plants have a simple, gentle way of reminding us of how beautiful and wondrous life is, just by being themselves.
And they’ll show their appreciation by giving us more oxygen to breathe. Now thats true kindness. Spending some time looking out for that special plant in our life can be a nice way to get a different perspective on our own lives too.
So if we’re feeling a little miserable or lost, that clean simplicity that is a plant, might be just what we need. And there is nothing quite like waking to the excitement of checking in on our little plant pal. Or being surprised by an unexpected blossom, bloom, or little growth spurt.
Quiet, calm and gentle, plants are a nice thing to connect to. And yes, sometimes plants can die, but, there is no need for guilt, or frustration, and no harm in trying again. You may have just not found the plant that is meant for you.
Research plants that are easier to look after and give it another go. And, if it just doesn’t work for you, get some beautiful cut flowers, or branches when you can. And appreciate them in your home. No harm. No foul.
2) Reading a book…
Reading is a simple, inexpensive, and accessible pleasure that somehow, in the midst of our smartphone addicted world, has been set down and forgotten by so many who could really use the experience of getting lost in a good book. It is a great addition to our mindful activities.
Reading reminds us that everything isn’t instant, and that that’s actually what makes its pleasures more profound and more lovely. It is time to ourselves. It is a solitary and personal enevor and it softly bring us to mindfulness and attention.
In these days where our information, and entertainment is commonly gleaned from mindlessly scrolling random websites, and stumbling into youtube rabbit holes, it’s nice to add something a bit more thoughtful to that list.
There is something fulfilling about reading a book, even if it’s not your favorite. And a good book can take us literally anywhere. A good book can change us. So, why not begin that mindful journey and do some research on a book you might like to read.
You could get an actual physical book, or load up your kobo. And then, etch out a few moments in your day to get a little reading done.
Give it try. You might just come to look forward that piece of your day. And you’ll inevitably get smarter!
3) Going outdoors…
Truth be told, it can be easy sometimes, especially during not so nice weather, to forget that being outside is not merely an inconvenient life necessity.
Being outdoors, especially amongst nature, is powerful, and in every way, it is replenishing. It has the ability to quietly remind us of the things in life that don’t and that do matter.
And it truly doesn’t take much time out there to reap the benefits of a little fresh air. Just a simple fifteen minute stroll during a lunch break. Or after dinner, or just some time sitting in a park, are events that can monumentally lessen the holding power of the stresses in our lives.
By having time to see beyond our thoughts, as we take note of the simple beauty of the natural world, we might also see that many of the incessant concerns that take control of us, are not worth the effort of the concern that we are putting into them.
Being in nature, with your own thoughts is something that many of us have forgotten the pure pleasure, and power of. So give it a go! Step outside and take a deep breath. And add it to your mindful activities.
4) Putting your smartphone away…
It seems like a lot of us are starting to see, that in some ways, our incessant phone and social media use can be hard on us. And so it’s not uncommon that we have great intentions to give ourselves a little time to disconnect.
We say, “I’ll just put my phone over in the other room. And I won’t look at it for a few hours”. But that lack of clarity. And the ease with which we can do a ‘quick check’, makes it very easy for our good intentions to be derailed…
We hear that little ding of uncertainty go off inviting us to wonder what information we might be missing out on.
And here we are. Sitting on our bed, looking up a recipe for really good hummus as we scroll through the color options of a shirt we might buy. And chatting with our neighbor about the new superintendent… Ahem.
It’s much easier if we take away the option of having a ‘quick check’.
So for your own sake, if possible, during the specified break time, either turn it off for that time. Or just leave it.
Go for that nature walk now and ‘feed two birds from one hand’. Open a space free from your phone to your mindful activities.
And here’s a pro tip: don’t post anything on social media on the day of your phone break. It will make it soooooo much easier to separate your brain from the phone and to actually enjoy your time away when you’re not obsessing, and wondering about the things that people might be responding to your new video, comment or picture.
5) Decluttering…
Somehow the lesson has gotten to us that ‘more is more’ when it comes to our possessions. And that if our home is a bit of a mess, it’s likely because our house is too small, not that we have too much stuff.
This logic is messing up our minds and our homes equally. But, in simply beginning to mindfully take note of the things we own, we can help start to change the way we react to and interact with our things.
If we are cluttered or overwhelmed with our stuff, it is almost inevitable that our minds are equally cluttered and overwhelmed.
Regardless of your level of tidiness. Or your amount of exorbitant possessions, becoming more mindful with your possessions can set the mind at ease. So why not tidy up and lessen our load?
Perhaps a closet in your bathroom could use a refresh. Or there are some clothes that you haven’t worn in a year. Maybe there’s a few drawers in the kitchen that you’ve been meaning to go through.
Now is a great time to donate, or discard some things that we don’t need. And the organization you create at home will be felt equally in your mind.
Think about making decluttering a regular habit. As we take note of, and effectively deal with things we don’t need, we will be more discerning about what we bring into our home. And mindful activities will have a more of a possibility of just becoming part of our life.
We will also most likely come to appreciate simple, empty space a little more. So, throw out an old spatula today and get this party started!
Mindful Activities Conclusion
As I wrote this article, it became so massively clear, that it is always the small things that get us through the big things. I saw myself describing the same subtle feelings and effects over and over that we can get from the mindful activities and moments that we actively give ourselves.
These deceivingly simple things are able to affect our emotions and our level of balance and breath massively. And there is a reason that these little chosen moments all seem to have this power.
It’s because being mindful, and giving yourself the time and the space to let go of stresses is something in this time and age, that we are at a loss for.
It is because the release valves in our lives are no longer naturally built into our existence the way that they once were.
Our modern life has no need for nature. But, we so desperately do…
So let’s do something small for ourselves. Take a breath. Step away. Get outside. Bring a piece of nature to yourself. And remember, that it’s the smallest things, and the space between them that make life worth living.
-Lyndsay