At Tying the Knot Raleigh, wellness is a priority for our team and mindfulness plays a large role in that.
Wellness is an active pursuit toward better well-being in all areas of life; physical, mental, and social.
Mindfulness allows me to believe I can be a better version of myself in all of those aspects.
That I have a purpose and reason for being where I am.
It has given me tools for healing traumas and finding peace in previous negative relationships.
Mindfulness has made space for me to increase my emotional intelligence and learn how to regulate my emotions. This has led to a deeper connection and more efficient communication within my relationship.
Not only does mindfulness help me understand my relationships with those around me, but it has also allowed me to learn more about myself and the person I am growing into.
What is Mindfulness?
In simple terms, mindfulness is living in the present moment with acceptance and without judgment.
As a human being, this is a quality we all have within us. It is just a matter of learning how to access it.
“Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you’re being mindful. And there’s growing research showing that when you train your brain to be mindful, you’re actually remodeling the physical structure of your brain.”
Who Can Benefit from Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a practice open to anyone, but that does not mean it is right for everyone.
This practice is perfect for someone who is looking to improve their day-to-day well-being.
Those with chronic illnesses.
Or people who suffer from anxiety and/or depression.
Practicing the Art of Mindfulness
Meditation
Meditation is not as intimidating as one would think. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself when it came to my practice, which made it difficult to enjoy.
I would be disappointed if I found it challenging to sit still for long periods of time.
I’d be discouraged if I wasn’t able to stop the stream of intrusive thoughts popping into my head.
I even fell asleep during a meditation class I paid to attend.
Once I was able to come into my meditation practice with no expectations, and a little bit of background knowledge, I was able to admire the peace that came with the practice.
Meditation Pointers:
Find a comfy spot and pick a noise to focus on. This can be the humming of the AC, the birds outside, a soothing song, or a crackling fire.
If you are just starting your meditation practice, set a timer for 5 minutes. The more experience you gain, the higher the timer you’ll set.
Your goal is to be completely thoughtless. Focus on your chosen sound and keep in mind that it is normal for thoughts to pop into your head every few seconds, especially if you are a beginner.
The sound is a tool to bring you back to your awareness, and the more you practice, the longer you’ll be able to sit in a state of meditation.
Spending Time in Nature
This is one of my favorite practices!
I find I have the most productive days when the first thing I do in the morning is take a walk.
I’ll typically walk the same one-mile route in my neighborhood, and this takes up at most 25 minutes of my morning.
(I find this also encourages healthier food choices!)
Recently, I made the decision to prioritize spending more time outside, and here’s why.
It was a beautiful day just after the hurricane. The morning was chillier than most and I took full advantage!
Even grabbed my Halloween blanket on the way out with my hot tea and murder mystery book in hand.
Later that day the sun made its appearance and was accompanied by a crisp breeze I wished would stay for weeks to come.. but that’s not NC weather for ya.
The beautiful day was begging to be basked in, I quickly grabbed my blanket, work materials, book, and my meditation pillow for comfort.
I spread the blanket across my big enough backyard and found myself absorbing the sunshine as I worked.
I began to feel more at peace than I had in a while. I felt connected to that moment and have been working on maintaining the beauty of that awareness since.
I recommend exploring your favorite way to spend time in nature, the options are limitless:
Hiking
Cloud watching
Beach Day
Fishing
Sitting on your porch
Painting
Hammocking
Reading
Walking
Visiting new parks
Stargazing
Camping
Etc.
Remember to embrace the moment.
Listen to the sounds around you, and really take in your surroundings. Choose to be mindful in that moment and be open to what the world has to offer.
Dancing
A freeing and expressive practice meant for anyone and everyone.
Although, dancing can be a difficult practice for me in the sense that I have a love-hate relationship with it.
I love it when I’m dancing for myself.. when no one’s around and I’m not worried that I’m being judged.
When I’m in my backyard throwing around my color guard equipment from high school trying to piece together old routines.
I feel free in these moments, beautiful even.
Sweaty, but beautiful.
Then there’s social settings. These make it more difficult for me to relax and let loose.
I feel awkward and strange if I don’t have choreography and I’m unable to enjoy the feelings you’re meant to get from dancing.
(This is something I’m working on.)
All that to say, do what feels most comfortable to you!
Yes, it is important to get out of your comfort zone, but don’t push yourself too quickly if you’re not there yet.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from my mindfulness journey is to do what you enjoy.
Stop being who you think you’re meant to be and start being the person you enjoy being.
Incorporating Wellness into Our Brand
Mindfulness is one of the many wellness practices our team takes part in.
Another is our practice in fostering relationships and creating an active community.
We value the relationships we are cultivating not only as a business but also as individuals.
We do this by means of curating fun monthly activities and offering an exclusive book club for our couples and vendors to participate in.
We also plan to incorporate volunteer opportunities in the coming months as a way to give back and give thanks, especially during the holiday season.
The Importance of Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a tool that allows us as individuals an opportunity to assess stressful or uncomfortable situations from an enlightened perspective.
Enhancing our emotional maturity and improving communication skills.
Consider using mindfulness as a reminder to slow down in this crazy world. Stop to enjoy the view, the smell of the roses, or the freshly cut grass.
Use it as an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of yourself. Begin questioning why you do some of the things you do, and why you react the way you react.
Mindfulness has played an important role in my life as it has helped me learn to accept and find peace in my past.
It has allowed room for me to grow as a person and partner and I hope it does the same for you!
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