By: Rebecca Zingarelli, MA, LPCC
Spring has sprung! The weather is gorgeous. The flowers are blooming. The sun is shining. What better time is there to get out and take a mindful walk around the neighborhood, park, campus, or office complex? Turning a short 10-15 minute walk into a mindfulness moment is easy to do and can temporarily calm our ruminating thinking brain and turn on our sensing brain. We can truly stay in the moment and gain appreciation of the world around us. Having a regular mindfulness practice can help us to decrease stress, sleep better, increase focus, decrease anxiety, and deepen our connection with others.
Here are a few mindfulness walk ideas you can use to keep calm and carry on!
The Rainbow Walk: As you are walking, go through the colors of the rainbow (and add any extra colors that you prefer), and find objects of that color. Consider it a colorful scavenger hunt!
The 54321 Walk: As you are walking, go through your five senses and name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel with your body, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. You will start to notice things you’ve never noticed about your environment when you focus on your five senses.
The ‘Out of Your Head and Into Your Feet’ Walk: This walk is exactly how it sounds. Only focus on your sense of feel and solely focus on your feet. Think only about what your feet can feel. Are they hot or cold? Are they dry, damp, wet? How does your sock/shoe feel? Are your toes being pinched? Do you have a blister? How hard is the surface you are walking on? Are they tired?
With taking any one of these mindfulness walks, you will be so wrapped up in your senses, that you will stop thinking about the overdue report, the conference with your child’s teacher, or the argument that you had with your spouse. It’s a perfect way to give yourself a thinking break!
Check back soon for a new installment of Mindfulness Moments!
Rebecca Zingarelli is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor who lives and works in the Oakley area of Cincinnati. Rebecca works with clients of all ages who struggle with trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, LGBTQ+ concerns, transitions, and stress. If you feel you would like to explore mindfulness further or for any other reason, Rebecca is accepting new clients and can be reached at rebecca@foundspacecounseling.com or 513-589-6868 ext. 5.