Are you living in Full Bloom?   Has your Mindfulness practice become less over this long period of Covid lockdown? or maybe, you have found that your practice has improved with having a little more free time on your hands.  After talking with some of my clients this week, there seems to be a general feeling of frustration that they are experiencing, it's among most them, everyones lives had been turned upside down by the pandemic, now the time is upon us/them (some of them post vaccine) that they are all trying to rebuild and slot back into their old routines, But as they have expressed to me, nothing seems to quite fit the way it used to, not enough time in the day, how did I use to fit everything in, Am I that disorganised, its all a bit to much and they are finding it quite challenging to get back to or to start a new Mindfulness practice.

Firstly be kind and gentle with yourself, try to accept how different your life is right now and how you feel about it at this moment in time.  Remember study shows that people who practice mindfulness are happier, healthier and more successful when coping with the highs and lows that our life path will take us on. Setting yourself a realistic and achievable goal is essential, motivation is a combination of intention and focus, why do you want to start or restart your Mindfulness practice, having a clear picture of why, will help you to stick with it. Maybe you could try to schedule your Mindfulness session, make an appointment with yourself, put it in your diary and treat it the same as you would a meeting or a check up at the doctors.  Choose a comfortable amount of time to begin with, ten minutes, twenty or thirty, remember its your practice, so do whats best for you in your allotted time frame.  Finding time in a busy day can sometimes be really difficult, everyday we all follow a routine of some sort, we wake up, shower, clean our teeth you can see what I'm trying to say, maybe you could include one of your daily tasks into your Mindfulness practice be present and fully aware of your thoughts and feelings while you are doing the task. Try out some  different Mindfulness practices,  A Bodyscan, Breathing, Movement, Walking, Five Senses be curious and discover what it is that helps you maintain your practice.  Perhaps being part of a group (online maybe) or having a  friend will help to keep your focus going.  Make a list of the benefits you feel once your practice is complete, its always nice to remember the positives, but do also allow yourself time to recognise any other emotions, thoughts and feelings that may come and go during your Mindful practice.  Don't be to hard on yourself if you stray and get off track for a day or two, it doesn't mean its time to give up, workout why you strayed, recommit and continue onwards.  Different things work for different people, there will be some stormy days and some beautiful clear sunny days during this restarting or starting phase, just try to stick with it, enjoy and discover how Mindfulness will work for you, your lifestyle and your personality.  Live Life in Full Bloom