Amy Rose, Main Character: March 2014

You can use this mindfulness technique at any time.

This isn't necessarily a relaxation exercise, this is a cognitive functioning exercise, which can help people prone to anxiety and over thinking, and to also help practice using the experiential operating mode of your brain (also great for anxiety-prone people).

If you want, you can set a timer, whether on your phone, a watch or an iPad. I wouldn't suggest a clock though, as the alarm will set your brain to shock mode and you might feel stressed (which is also a cause of stress in waking hours.) It's best to keep it to a 3-15 minutes time frame, as anytime after that may cause your attention span to wander, or you might fall asleep.

In this one, we will be using this technique for 3 minutes.

You can either lie down or sit back in a comfortable and relaxing position and close your eyes.

For the next three minutes, listening to the sounds you may hear will be your focus. Don't try to

search for sounds, just gently listen and notice any sounds as they make their way to your ears and into your awareness. When you notice your attention drifting, gently redirect your attention back to the sounds at present. Notice any self-criticisms you may be having, and let them drift away. If you also notice any negative thoughts about the sounds you hear, such as "I wish that dog would stop barking," or "that sound is so annoying," let those thoughts drift away and bring your attention back to just listening, accepting any sounds as they come.

Until my next post!

Love yourself!