I chose to do a mindfulness practice this week that involved movement because I feel that I sit too long throughout the day. So, I came across MINDFUL WALKING! This caught my attention because I love walking outdoors and thought I would take full advantage of the fact that it had not snowed yet. It was exactly what I was looking for!
I came across an awesome website that gave me a step by step on how to accomplish a mindfulness walk and the many benefits you can gain from doing it. There are six different steps they recommend you follow in order to do this walk properly; I will show them below:
My experience with mindful walking:Â
To be honest the first two times I tried this it was extremely difficult for me since I always get distracted on my walks and love that I usually do not have to think of anything when I am walking. But, on my third walk I really convinced myself that I wanted to follow the six steps and see if I would see any changes in myself, and I did. Even though it was hard to focus on my movements first and then my surroundings there was a sense of peace and calmness that came over me, I felt I was fully engaged in the present moment. It was beautiful!
* I do not think I will do this all the time due to my preference of being “free” in my walks, but this will not be the last time I do it either, due to me actually seeing the benefits of mindfulness walks.
Will I be doing this in my future class as a mindfulness practice?Â
I think that I will give it a try, because it could be the best thing ever for my future students or the worst thing but at least I tried it. I feel that students would benefit from this practice, but I believe when you go on walks this is the time for students to talk to each other and a time when they are not bothered. In saying this, I could see this practice being turned into an art / literacy lesson plan though, the students could draw pictures of what they saw and write sentences about how they felt! I will be trying this in a lesson plan for sure!
More about changetochill.org:Â
- They provide lesson plans / activities / resources which are free to all.Â
- They cover a lot of different topics other than mindfulness, some being how to reduce stressors, finding life balance and how to reduce stigmas. Â
Highly recommend checking it out! 🙂
A little reminder to take with you throughout your day, take time for yourself!
Hi Morgan!
I really love your idea of a mindful walk. When I think of myself enjoying a walk I am always thinking about things that have happened that day or things I need to get done in the future. I have never actually thought about how I am feeling in the present moment (senses). The next time I go out for a walk I am going to try following your six steps. I know it is so critical to find time for myself each day but lately I am finding that if I give myself this time I am more anxious that I am not getting more things done. I hope I can try utilizing your mindfulness tips not only for a walk but also in my running, and at the end of each day when I wind down before bed. I hope this will force me to push out my anxiety and focus on the present moment of gratitude and mindfulness.
Thanks for sharing!