As a college teacher, I encounter a lot of stressed-out students. Between exams, assignments, finances, smartphone addiction, climate change, and a precarious future, there’s a lot on the minds of young people today.
I recently started doing a short mindfulness exercise in my class to help alleviate the stress. I give every student two Smarties (or M&M’s for you non-Canadians). I tell them to eat one right away. Then, I turn their attention to the second Smartie. I tell them to think about how it feels in their hands, how it smells, how it looks. I tell them to put it on their tongue and think about how it feels, how it tastes, how hot or cold it is, etc., before finally instructing them to slowly start chewing the Smartie.
Afterwards, I ask the students how the experiences of eating the first and second Smartie were different. Many students say they enjoy the second Smartie more, but some admit to discovering a newfound dislike for the synthetic taste. Either way, they arrive at the same conclusion: They were aware of eating the second Smartie, truly experiencing it in a way that they did not experience the first Smartie.
I noticed that the students were also more engaged in my lesson. They were more attentive, calmer, more talkative, more present.
I learned that “trick” from Janet Melo Thaiss, my guest for episode 9 of the podcast . On top of being an educator, Janet is also a photographer and a branding coach. I wanted to talk to Janet to find out how she developed her mindfulness habit because I want to practice what I preach to my students. I also want to reap the many benefits, including better productivity and resiliency, and lower stress. I was thrilled when Janet agreed to talk to me for the podcast. Throughout our conversation, she made me feel super confident about starting a formal mindfulness practice (aka meditation) of my own. Here are some of my key takeaways:
1. Start small: Ten minutes of formal mindfulness practice a day will give you all of the benefits, but starting out at ten minutes can be tough. Janet recommends starting with a minute, or even thirty seconds, and working your way up to ten minutes (or more).
2. Set your intention: This is what formal mindfulness practice is all about. For example, you make a commitment to focus on your breath for a certain period of time. Setting a timer is a good way to make it your official mindfulness time.
3. Let your mind wander: Drawing your attention back to your breath is the practice that will increase your awareness in everyday life. For that reason, it’s okay if you start thinking about something else, or get distracted during meditation. Noticing when this happens is an important first step in being able to refocus on the present.
4. Let go of expectations: There is no perfect way to practice mindfulness. It’s not something that one can be good at, and according to Janet we should be careful not to apply judgements about whether or not we are improving. We’ll notice when our mindfulness practice starts to work.
5. Make it habitual: Janet recommends doing our formal mindfulness practice either first thing in the morning or the last thing at night and making it a part of our daily routine. Eventually, it becomes just another thing you do, like brushing your teeth. And when you think you’re too busy to meditate, that’s when you need it the most!
6. Props are not necessary: You don’t need candles or a mantra or a cushion. You can meditate sitting, standing, walking, or even lying down (although there is a danger of falling asleep with this last position). What matters most is the intention. By trying different approaches, you can find what works best for you.
7. Experiment: Janet brings a playful approach to her mindfulness practice. She recommends trying to be mindful when doing different things, whether it’s running, washing dishes, or eating, just to see how different the experience is. You might be surprised by what you discover. I certainly was when I tried running without music! I was much more aware of my surroundings (and my headphones stopped falling off, which was a nice bonus).
8. Don’t give up: Many people have trouble with this last one. I underestimated how difficult it really is to be alone with my thoughts. When will this damn minute end? I kept thinking. But then the timer went off. I opened my eyes and felt a bit calmer. I did not feel the urge to reach for my phone or get started on my work for the day. I took another breath and felt the sun’s warmth on my face.
I look forward to continuing this newfound practice. I hope you are excited about developing your own meditation practice, and I hope you enjoyed episode 9 of the podcast. Feel free to comment below with any thoughts or feedback you might have.