As a mother, daughter, friend, professional and entrepreneur, I understand the challenges of balancing a busy life and self-care. Finding the time to focus on ourselves can be difficult, but it's crucial to our overall well-being. That's why I want to share with you an exercise that has had a profound impact on my life: "Mindful Time."
In my FIT for Life Course, I teach “Mindful Time”: a simple yet effective exercise that can help you connect with your intuition and become more present in your everyday life. The exercise involves taking a minute or less to stop and focus on a specific prompt when the clock strikes a repeating number, such as 11:11 or 12:12.
The prompts for each time slot can vary from identifying something red and taking a photo to focusing on something natural for 15 seconds. These prompts may seem random, but they are designed to help you appreciate the small things in your environment and bring your attention to the present moment.
Regularly practicing “Mindful Time” can have a significant impact on your overall well-being. By taking a few moments to focus on your surroundings and your feelings in the moment, you can reduce stress and anxiety and increase your awareness of your own thought patterns. By becoming more aware of these patterns, you can start to identify and shift them in real-time, allowing you to make positive changes in your life.
I know how hard it can be to prioritize self-care, but I encourage you to give "Mindful Time" a try. It's a small yet powerful step towards reducing stress, increasing mindfulness, and making positive changes in your life. So take a moment to pause and appreciate the small things in your environment, and see how "Mindful Time" can benefit you.
“Mindful Time” is a simple yet powerful exercise that can help you become more present in your everyday life and connect with your intuition. The exercise involves taking a minute or less to focus on a specific prompt when the clock strikes a repeating number.
Here are some example prompts for a day of“Mindful Time”:
5:55 AM - identify something old and fill in the blank: I am going to try __________ today.
6:06 AM - identify something red and take a photo.
7:07 AM - identify someone wearing glasses and fill in the blank: I am __________.
8:08 AM - identify something wooden and fill in the blank: I feel __________.
9:09 AM - identify something made of fabric and fill in the blank: I feel __________.
10:10 AM - identify something natural and concentrate on it for 15 seconds.
11:11 AM - identify a large human-made structure and fill in the blank: I want to be __________.
12:12 PM - identify a nice piece of clothing and fill in the blank: I feel __________.
1:11 PM - identify a shoe with white in it and fill in the blank: My day is __________.
2:22 PM - identify something that is making noise and concentrate on it for 15 seconds.
3:33 PM - identify something green and take a photo of it.
4:44 PM - identify something made of metal and fill in the blank: I am not __________.
5:55 PM - identify something old and fill in the blank: I am going to try __________ today.
6:06 PM - identify something yellow and take a photo.
7:07 PM - identify someone smiling and fill in the blank: I am grateful for __________.
8:08 PM - identify something soft and fill in the blank: I feel __________.
9:09 PM - identify something that smells good and fill in the blank: I am __________.
10:10 PM - identify something beautiful and appreciate it for 15 seconds.
Remember, these prompts are designed to help you appreciate the small things in your environment and bring your attention to the present moment. Practicing “Mindful Time” regularly can help you reduce stress and anxiety, become more aware of your own thought patterns, and make positive changes in your life. So give it a try and see how it can benefit you!
If you find that you’ve exhausted the prompts for “Mindful Time,” there are several ways to modify the exercise to keep it fresh and engaging. You can try creating your own prompts that are more specific to your interests and environment. For example, if you’re outside, you can focus on the sound of the birds or the feeling of the wind on your skin. Alternatively, you can use the same prompts but switch up the order to create a different experience.
To learn more about how to start transforming your outlook, take the FIT for Life Course with Sheryl Grant!