This March marks the one-year anniversary of COVID, or at least its impact on nearly everyone’s lives. While the virus may have been in the U.S. a few weeks prior, this is when a wave of media headlines, lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing protocols made the crisis very real.One year ago, life literally changed forever.Throughout this year, masks have become the norm. Thousands of people lost their jobs. Thousands more had to adjust to working from home.Legions of children haven’t been able to go to school in person or played sports or other attended after-school activities.Over 500,000 citizens lost their lives due to complications from the virus.It’s no wonder that there was an almost instant spike in mental health issues when the pandemic began. It’s no wonder that those numbers remain alarmingly high and show no sign of decline.So, a  year later, what can you do to keep your own mental state healthy and balanced?One of the best ways is to practice mindfulness.

Beyond the Buzz of Mindfulness

Mindfulness was trending pre-pandemic. We were all looking for ways to slow down and tune in. Post-COVID, of course, meant that slowing down was not an issue.Still, the need to calm down kept mindfulness very much on our minds. The transition to restricted spaces and constant family interaction meant that the term ‘mindfulness’ held out a lot of hope for relief and acceptance.Much more than a therapy buzzword, mindfulness is the practice of staying in the present. It often gets confused with meditation, because the two are very similar. But, meditation allows you to focus on just about anything. When you’re choosing to be mindful, you focus on the here and now.The idea is that by focusing on the present, you can ease your worries and anxiety about the past and the future. It’s hard to ignore those worries in everyday life, especially considering our current environment.With mindfulness, however, it becomes possible to let go of those issues, at least for a few minutes, so you can hold onto that peace and comfort all day.

How to Practice Mindfulness as Often as Necessary

You can choose to be mindful any time, even multiple times a day. To practice mindfulness, simply pause whatever you’re doing. Close your eyes, and focus on that very moment. Think about your breathing as you inhale and exhale slowly.How does your body feel? Try to be conscious of every feeling and the environment affecting it. Thoughts will continue to come, but try to let them pass you by as though you were watching clouds float away in the sky. Don’t hang onto those thoughts or worries. Instead, stay present.This technique can help you feel relaxed almost instantly. Whenever you’re feeling particularly stressed, hit the “pause” button on your day, and choose to be more mindful.Moreover, levitra without prescription creativebdsm.com jelly has been a cost- effective treatment & leads for less amount of money being spent in accordance to such medicinal treatments made available in the market and playing a vital role in terms of having improved symptoms of certain cerebral disorders.

It’s Okay to Disconnect

During this time of social distancing and staying home, people have turned to their phones, the Internet, and video chatting more than ever.While these are great ways to stay connected to people, using the Internet all of the time makes it easy to feel overwhelmed. People like to share news stories, their own personal opinions, and even “stories” that aren’t necessarily true to elicit stress and fear.All of it can feel confusing and chaotic. So, an effective way to calm your nerves and be more mindful is to disconnect and unplug, at least once a day. When you’re distracted by technology, it’s impossible to be fully present. Choose to disconnect, focus your attention and energy on being present.If you’re having trouble understanding how to be more mindful or you’re not sure how to put it into practice, you don’t have to second guess yourself. See below for a list of resources on mindfulness.How to be Mindful in Everyday Life (What you can do to build more mindfulness into your daily life)How To Meditate (Guide from the New York Times)Free guided mindfulness meditations in English and Spanish (Resource from UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center)Calm app or Headspace app (Excellent apps for beginners with mindfulness meditation)Great mindfulness meditations for beginnersSafe space to breathe AnchoringMindful BreathingAbout: Chanderbhan Psychological Services is a therapy practice located in Laredo, Texas. We help individuals and couples who are struggling in different areas of their lives gain the clarity they need to grow and change. We also offer vieo counseling services to individuals located in the wider State of Texas. To read blogs on mental health and relationships, visit our website.