It’s Friday and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all that might need to be done in preparation for next week! Revisiting this image, let’s take a moment to talk about mindfulness.

As a teacher and student, I find myself constantly thinking ahead (what do I need to do/plan/upload for next week?) and toward the past (how could I have improved that paper/discussion/lesson?), but I rarely find myself paying attention to where I am now.

Mindfulness is all about taking a moment to check in with ourselves and feel present in the NOW, as opposed to thinking about what we have done or what we need to do.
It's all about being aware of where we are and what we're doing in this moment, without feeling overwhelmed.

Mindfulness helps me to feel a bit centered and more in control when I feel overwhelmed.
It helps me to feel grounded in what's going on, as opposed to focused about my worries.
It helps me to just focus on right now.

When I feel overwhelmed, a mindfulness count down always helps me feel better.
5-4-3-2-1!
What are 5 things you see?
What are 4 things you can touch?
3 things you can hear?
2 things you can smell?
1 you can taste?

Checking in with my senses makes me feel fully in the moment.

Mindfulness check:
5 Sight: computer, desk, nail polish, water bottle, and pens.
4 Touch: my phone, my laptop, a sticky note, and a stapler.
3 Sounds: I hear my typing, the air conditioning and a neighbor mowing
2 Smells: hot tea and nail polish remover
1 Taste: black coffee

Try this quick mindfulness check-- what do you see, feel, hear, smell, and taste?

How does it feel to be in the moment for a moment?