You only need 1-minute

Most of us live very active lives and are constantly distracted with too many things to do and think about. However, we all have the capacity to slow down and chose where we want to put our energy and attention at a given moment. 

You can choose to be deliberate and take 1-minute for yourself to train your attention to be in the present moment. 

YES, 1-minute is a great start!

This is another practice that I do on daily basis that I find incredibly helpful.

I always encourage my clients to hold on to this practice because it can be used in many different situations. 

I invite you to give it a try. 

Here are the instructions:
(Make sure that you set your phone to airplane mode if you are ready to give this a try). 
1. Notice your posture, relax your shoulders and your jaw. Make sure that your back is straight.
2. Set your timer for 1 minute. 
3. Breathe as you always do but this time bring your attention to your breath. Count how many breaths you have in one minute (i.e., 1 inhale, 1 exhale; 2 inhales, 2 exhales…). 
4. When you are done, notice how many breaths did you have in 60 seconds? Be curious! 

You can repeat this exercise (using your timer) at least once per day. If you have any questions, please let me know.

This sounds way too easy to be helpful, but I promise it is worth the try.  If you feel that your mind is all over the place and it is hard to focus, it is normal. The mind tends to be very active. Most of us have many thoughts that take us to the past or to the future very quickly. This is normal. The good news is that you can train your mind by training your attention to be where you want it to be and stay there.

My clients use this 1-minute practice at work, at home and when they are in situations where they feel they are starting to get reactive or when they simply need a mini-break. They know how to pause, breathe, observe, and re-center. 

You can do it too. If you are outdoors, you can do a similar practice and focus your attention on something that is in front of you. Replace judgement with curiosity. Keep your attention there for a few breaths as you observe the details, the colors, the light, and the contrast. 

You can start collecting your own mindful pauses regularly. Notice how it feels.