Mindfulness helps decrease stress and depression. It's a habit you have to work to maintain.

Our lives are busy and hectic so it is easy to feel overwhelmed so in order to feel calm, centered, and capable...practice your mindfulness!

This week, TRY at least one of these mindfulness techniques:

• mindful walking: this means choosing a quiet and flat place, stand and be still, feel your feet and legs moving and really focus on those feelings/sensations, remain focused on your insides and don't look around too much, and allow yourself to feel your body rest.
• guided meditation: figure out what time of day this will work best for you and rest the backs of your hands on your knees, close your eyes, breathe deeply, let go of your thoughts, and keep breathing and relaxing for four minutes
• deep breathing: Considering setting a reminder a few times a day to take part in deep breathing by taking a slow breath through your nose, breathing into your lower belly four 4 seconds, hold that breath for 1-2 seconds, slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds, and take a couple seconds before repeating.
• silence: we rarely have silence so think of your daily activities you do that may lend itself to complete silence such as showering, brushing your teeth, eating breakfast, driving to/from school, or walking.
• yoga: Practice some yoga poses or maybe attend a class. Easy poses such as the Sunrise pose, tree pose, and downward dog pose are great ones to get you started. Check out YouTube videos to get familiar with them.