Stuck at home? Not seeing friends and family? Feeling anxious about what will happen in the future?

For many of us, this has been our experience since the pandemic hit in March. Many of us might feel like we do not have enough distraction to keep the anxiety at bay, finding that we keep thinking about the future and wondering how different will it be; will anything feel “normal”?

Mindfulness is the practice of being “in the moment.” It is how we focus on our thoughts, feelings and body sensations in the here and now, without judgment on those thoughts, feelings, and/or sensations (that’s the important part!) A mindfulness practice helps us to get away from future thinking, hypotheticals and “what ifs,” which are fuel for already anxious minds. When we are mindful of what is happening in the current moment, we can feel more in control because it isn’t the guesswork of the future. It’s an actual experience you are engaged in right now!

Science tells us that a regular practice of mindfulness changes the brain. In a nutshell, it helps to reduce activity in our amygdala (the part of our brain responsible for the perception of fear), and increases the connection between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for many of our cognitive abilities. So, mindfulness helps to quiet fear or anxiety and improve our ability to engage in more rational thought around those feelings.

There are many ways to practice mindfulness. We can try to just focus on our breathing, focus on something we see or hear in nature or do some slow movement and focus on how it feels. Combining these three things can be a great practice.

Try this every day for one week: walk outside your door that leads to the outside. Breathe in and out slowly and easily, three times, paying attention to how this feels. Next, see if you can match a simple motion with your breath. Try inhaling and moving your arms up above your head, and exhaling, bringing them back down to your sides. Or try just a simple shoulder shrug. Do that three times. Next, look at the landscape that surrounds you. It may be urban or rural or suburban. All have their offerings – flowers, grass, and so forth.

Alison DiPinto, MA, LPC is a licensed clinician at Ann's Place, which provides counseling, support groups and wellness programs to families facing cancer, all free of charge. Find out more about Ann's Place at annsplace.org or call 203-790-6568.