Be Mindful: The Mindfullness Toolbox
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Mindfulness expert Julie Potiker says simple tools you can use to deal with whatever the day brings you can vary from taking part in your favorite activities, like taking a break, or being aware of what's around you.
"Mindfulness is paying attention to what you're doing when you're doing it without judgment. So that means not time traveling to the past or the future. not worrying and ruminating, which we're actually wired to do as primates."
Potiker says she developed the SNAP method of mindful practices to use anywhere and anytime.
It stands for:
- Soothing touch: when feeling anxiety, place your hands in a soothing or comforting position
- Name your feeling: say how you're feeling to notice how you're being affected
- Act: do what you reasonably can in the moment to alleviate the stress.
- Praise: giving yourself a pat on the back for handling the situation as best you can.
"When you feel the stress coming up and you will feel it coming up because you have a mindfulness practice, you can then make choices to shift your mood," Potiker said. So that's what I teach people to do, how to really find calm in the chaos."
