The Mindful Pause
When stressed, upset, angry, sad, or anxious, you can take a short break to collect yourself. One way to do this is to use a short mindfulness exercise – something to do in the heat of the moment. You can use can use this ‘in the moment’ practice when you feel a situation going downhill. It is a skill that is most effective when you practice: begin with a minor situation (so you are not too worked up) and choose a situation that allows for time to step away. What follows is a short two minute in-the moment mindfulness exercise. In real life situations you can shorten and just take a few deep breaths while focusing on the air entering your nose and going down into your belly. It is most effective when you breathe in and out through your nose and allow the air to expand -- not into your lungs-- but into your stomach.
The Mindful Pause — a two minute mindfulness breathing exercise