10 Amazing Ways to Practice Winter Mindfulness
Colder months can feel harsh and lonely. Here are 10 ways to practice winter mindfulness, which can help you feel more grounded, calm, and present.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about mindfulness including what it is, the benefits, and how to practice winter mindfulness today.
What is Winter Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a practice of being present in the moment, allowing one to observe one’s thoughts without judgment. The purpose of this practice is to increase mental awareness, inner peace, and overall joy.
Winter mindfulness can help you embrace the cold weather while bringing warmth into your mind and heart. It includes tips and habits that can be used during the winter months, which can be stressful due to the colder, shorter days.
Benefits
Winter mindfulness can help you stay calm and present during the colder season, a time that can be stressful due to holidays, shorter days, and less light. Mindfulness itself helps us boost our mental health, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It may contribute to better sleep at night and more energy during the day.
How to Practice Winter Mindfulness
Jumping right into it, here is how to practice winter mindfulness. Try out these tips today to feel more inner peace and happiness easily.
1. Winter Walks
One great way to practice winter mindfulness is to bundle up in a sweater and take a walk outside. Nature is a great way to connect with your surroundings. Try to pay attention to everything you see, hear, and feel when you’re outside. This can help you stay present and will raise baseline happiness in the long run.
2. Breathing by Fireplace
Breathing itself has many benefits, many of which can be found here. During these colder months, find a warm place to curl up next to such as a fireplace or heater. Take some time to breathe deeply, focusing on your inhalations and exhalations and feeling the warmth that surrounds you.
3. Watching the Weather
Sometimes, all we want to do is watch something, but there’s nothing on TV. Take a moment to practice some mindful weather watching this winter. If you are somewhere where it snows, take time to watch the snowflakes fall, looking at their patterns and shapes.
4. Winter Sound Meditation
The noises of winter are gorgeous if we pay attention to them. A good way to practice winter mindfulness is to simply sit for a couple of moments and listen to the sounds of winter. Hear the wind howl outside, and listen for falling snow, rain, etc. This can help increase your awareness and will allow you to be more introspective.
5. Warm Movement
Sometimes a little bit of movement is all we need to get ourselves going. Try some simple movements such as yoga or stretching in a warm space. Make this movement soft and mindful, focusing on the breath and actively trying to release tension from the muscles in the body. Doing a bit of movement can help you warm up while increasing body awareness and encouraging relaxation of the mind and muscles.
6. Cold Morning Gratitude
Gratitude is a habit that can change your life. It has been found to raise overall happiness since we start counting our blessings. On a cold morning when we don’t want to get out of bed, take a moment to feel gratitude. Acknowledge that you have warmth in the middle of cold times. Gratitude helps you focus on what you have in life instead of focusing on what you don’t have. During the winter months, it can be easy to feel that life is cold and lonely. When we notice all the things we do have we set ourselves up for success.
7. Hot Beverage Mindfulness
During colder months, it’s common to pick up a warm beverage such as tea, hot cocoa, or coffee. Use this moment to appreciate the process from making the drink to simply holding the drink in your hands. Feel the warmth of the cup, savor the taste of the flavors, and notice the scents. This can help you slow down and will help you feel appreciation towards the simpler things in life.
8. Candle Gazing
Candle gazing or firelight gazing is a form of meditation in which you focus on a candle or flickering flame. This allows your attention to settle on something in the present moment. Focus on the sensation, the warmth, the light, and the colors. This will help you quiet the mind and can enhance focus and concentration.
9. Reading Indoors
Reading is an activity that can bring inner calmness and may help you get a better night’s sleep. When it’s cold outside, curl up under a blanket indoors away from the chill outside. Pay attention to the weather and stay present mindfully reading your literature. Reading yet paying attention to the present moment can increase awareness and the calming effect of the weather can be just what you need to focus on your reading.
10. Evening Coziness
When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing better than wrapping yourself up in a couple of blankets and getting yourself cozy. When you do this, introduce some mindfulness. Take slow deep breaths and focus on the present moment. Notice how the blanket feels on your skin, the warmth, and deepen your breathing. This practice can help you feel safe and secure, reducing any stress that can come up during colder months.
The Takeaway
Winter mindfulness habits are a great way to stay calm, grounded, and present in the moment. Give yourself a moment of mindfulness when needed by taking a brisk walk, doing some mindful movement, or mindfully drinking a hot beverage. Try out these habits and tips and watch wellness flourish effortlessly.
Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutritious food, exercise when you can, and take care of your mental health. Daily habits become the building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. Take care of your gut health too! Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.
