Walking with Awareness
Hey there, mindfulness explorer! Remember when we practiced being aware of our breath and surroundings? Today, we're going to level up that skill by focusing on something we do every day without thinking much about it: walking!
Your Mindful Walking Adventure:
- Find a safe place where you can walk slowly for about 5-10 minutes. It could be in your backyard, a quiet hallway, or even back and forth in your room.
- Stand still for a moment and take a few deep breaths to center yourself.
- Now, start walking very slowly. Imagine you're a robot and need to program each movement!
- As you walk, pay close attention to:
- Lifting your foot off the ground
- Moving your foot forward
- Placing your foot back on the ground
- Shifting your weight to that foot
- The feeling in your other foot as you start to lift it
- If your mind starts to wander (and it probably will!), no worries. Just gently bring your attention back to the sensations of walking.
Tip: It might feel a bit silly at first to walk so slowly and pay so much attention to it. That's totally normal! Just have fun with it and see what you notice.
After your mindful walk, take a moment to write down or think about:
- What did you notice about walking that you've never paid attention to before?
- How did it feel to focus so closely on something you usually do without thinking?
- Did you notice any thoughts or feelings popping up as you walked?
This practice is like training your brain to be a friendly observer of your own experiences. The more you do it, the better you'll get at noticing your thoughts and feelings without getting carried away by them. It's like having a superpower for understanding yourself!