Mindful, Grateful, and Relaxed — Practicing Presence in the Fall
Autumn is my favorite season, especially living in Virginia. On my way home, I love driving down the road through the national park and seeing the canopy of red, orange, and yellow leaves overhead. Often, October is the lull between the back-to-school rush with school supplies, club registrations, renegotiating schedules, and the holiday busyness with Thanksgiving and Christmas. October is also the home to World Mental Health Day on the 10th.
Mental health is usually not thought about unless there is a problem. During this October lull, I often plan for the next set of events. Sometimes, that “planning” goes beyond good stewardship and preparation to not living in the present. In Matthew chapter six, Jesus taught us to not be worried:
31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
The Lord does not call us to not worry because food, drink, and clothes are wrong. He recognizes that we need all of them. Worry and anxiety prevent us from living fully in the present. When we experience stress, anxiety, or worry, we are often living in the past or future. Not being fully present robs our relationships of sharing ourselves with others, splits our attention, and undermines our focus for today. At the end of that chapter, Jesus reminds us that “each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34.)
There are many ways that we can work to reduce anxiety and worry. Being mindful, grateful, and focusing on having a relaxed body are three of them.
Mindfulness. You may have heard of the term mindfulness before. It means paying attention to what is happening right now. Stop for a minute. Pay attention to your current surroundings:
Find five things that you can see from where you are right now. Use descriptive words to explain (e.g., As I am writing, I see the white mug that my daughter bought me for Christmas with “Mom, no matter how hard life gets at least you don’t have ugly children” written on it.)
What are four things you can feel with your body right now? What is the temperature? Is there a breeze or the sun on your skin? Can you feel your clothes on your body, the seat beneath you, or the ground under your feet?
Name three things that you can hear. Right now, I hear my A/C kick on and the clicking of my keys as I type. It is not cheating to create noise yourself. You can sing or tap your fingers on a surface.
What are two things you can smell? If nothing stands out, smell your clothes or, if possible, your hair.
What is one thing you can taste? Feel free to pop something into your mouth to taste. Notice it.
This simple exercise helps by grounding you in the present moment.
Gratitude also has a way of lessening anxiety and worry. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us to present our requests to the Lord and bring it with thanksgiving and that “the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” What is something from this week or even today that you are grateful for? Whether you use a digital calendar, a paper calendar, or a journal, writing down a couple of things each day that you are thankful for actually reprograms your brain to notice the positive in your life and reduces anxiety and worry.
Relax your body. Anxiety cannot exist in a relaxed body. As working women, we can move non-stop from one thing to the next and not even realize the stress we hold in our bodies. Jesus invites us to come to Him when we are burdened and heavy ladened and He will give us rest for He “is gentle … and you will find rest for your soul.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Consciously release your body through exercise like progressive muscle relaxation (there are many videos available online to guide you through it). Or you can even focus on “feeling” like an al dente spaghetti noodle and intentionally release one muscle group after another as you let go of the stress your body is holding.
During this lull between the busier seasons, go ahead and plan for the upcoming events and holidays, but let’s also take some time to be present and attend to our own mental health. This month is a great time to Be Renewed, Be Emboldened, and Be Transformed at the Polished Network’s Boldly Conference on October 20th. During the conference Amy Cedrone will moderate a mental health panel with Dr. Jeanette Robért from Marketplace Chaplains; Pamela Flores, executive coach; and me to encourage and uplift you. We hope to see you there!
Leah Brown is a Christ-following woman with many hats and life experiences that allow her uniquely empathize with others. Professionally, she is a licensed professional counselor and certified coach specializing in anxiety, trauma, stress, and burnout. In her personal life, Leah is a daughter, sister, wife, daughter-in-love, mom to 5, stepmom to 4, mother-in-love to 2, Gigi to 2 grandbabies, and friend.
Her counseling journey began with a career shift from being a homeschool mom to needing a career and desiring to move professionally into helping people. Through therapy, she works with clients to help them as they process thoughts and experiences. In her coaching work, she assists clients in making a difference in their current and future lives.
Leah’s experiences and training are predominately in stress and trauma. Her experience ranges from working in homeless shelters; to working with burned-out first responders, mental health case managers, and HR managers; to serving children and youth in residential care and individuals that need help transitioning from one season in life to another.
Leah holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regent University and is a National Board Certified Counselor (NCC). She is also a Lark’s Song Certified Coach (LSCC). Leah has additional training in treating trauma through multiple organizations, including Regent University and the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology. In addition, she is a Green Cross Compassion Fatigue Educator.
Leah and her husband, Wade, live in Fredericksburg, Virginia, with their five kids still at home. She enjoys visiting with friends over coffee and watching her kids pursue their dreams.