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Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Unknown userMember

Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

For this Topic Tuesday, we thought we would revisit a coping strategy that is spoken about a lot these days - mindfulness. The practice of mindfulness can help us to maintain our wellbeing and manage overwhelming and stressful times, however it can be hard to take the time to practice and intimidating to start. We will investigate how this coping mechanism can be adapted into your own self care as a supporter of a loved one. You may even be able to share with them what you learn and approach it together!

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I'm new here - what is Topic Tuesday?

Topic Tuesday runs from 7pm - 9pm AEST monthly. Each month we focus on a different topic, with the session facilitated by a Community Manager or Moderator. Sometimes Topic Tuesday will feature a special guest, who is an expert in the topic.

The first post of the thread (this one) will give you an idea of what the topic is and what will be covered.

How do I get involved?

Topic Tuesday takes place right here! It's text based, so no software is needed. During the session, to keep up with the latest posts hit the 'refresh' button on your browser for the latest posts (it doesn't automatically update). Keep an eye for page numbers at the top & bottom of the page, and jump to the highest page number for the most recent post.

Throughout the session, the facilitator will put questions out for you to answer, usually asking for your own experience on the topic. To contribute to the session, just hit the 'reply' button and share your thoughts. No answers are right or wrong and everyone is welcome to get involved.

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In response to: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Unknown userMember

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Good question @Shaz51 - I guess it is a little different in that being mindful is trying to bring us to the present moment, not so much focusing on what needs to happen in the future. However its good to be organised! Instead you could be writing a list of your feelings in the moment? Or you could just be being mindful of the list you are writing, maybe noticing the pen you are writing with, the colour ink, the paper you are writing on?

@SA64 great to see how much of a positive impact mindfulness has had on you. There are some really helpful apps out there. I like that you mentioned that you felt like it was selfish at first too - in realising it was necessary did that thought change?

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Shaz51Senior Contributor

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

What are some other mindfulness tasks you may have tried or heard of?

@Former-Member, ha ha a very much needed cup of coffee , where you think about the smell when you put the water into the coffee and wants to drink it up xx

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

SnowieSenior Contributor

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

@Former-Memberwrote

What are some other mindfulness tasks you may have tried or heard of?

It can be anything the brings you to the present moment. For example

Washing the dishes - the warm water, the feel of the cloth in your hand.

Patting the dog, listening to a meditation, listening to music, going for a walk and noticing things around you, using your 5 senses

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Unknown userMember

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

This is an interesting comment @CheerBear - and your persepctive on how you approach a task is right here. Mindfulness may not be a distraction as such but it is a way to bring us away from negative thoughts and into a more understanding moment. Acknowledging and moving on if that's what you are needing. By engaging wholly in an activity and staying present within it - that can be a mindful activity too.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

SA64Contributor

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

@SA64 great to see how much of a positive impact mindfulness has had on you. There are some really helpful apps out there. I like that you mentioned that you felt like it was selfish at first too - in realising it was necessary did that thought change?

Yes, I eventually realised that it wasn't selfish to take care of myself. When my daughter was first unwell I thought only of what she was going through, and didn't realise I was on a journey side by side with her. I do not find caring for myself, while care for others as selfish anymore at all.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Shaz51Senior Contributor

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

ah ha @Former-Member, I like watering the garden

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Unknown userMember

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

There are some good ideas of mindfulness activities coming through! @Snowie those are great. The five senses one is quite a popular one I think and I particularly like it to.

Another idea is bringing awareness to listening and talking. Can you listen without agreeing or disagreeing, liking or disliking, or planning what you will say when it is your turn? When talking, can you just say what you need to say without overstating or understating? Can you notice how your mind and body feel?

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Unknown userMember

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Gardening is quite a good sensory experience @Shaz51 - great for actioning some mindfulness in a day!

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Unknown userMember

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

Unknown userMember

Re: Topic Tuesday // Understanding Mindfulness // Tues 25 Sep, 7pm AEDT

I’ve done a mindfulness TT before in lived experience and I am going to go for the same vibe here where we might break down the obstacles that block us from approaching this coping strategy. I know for me, the idea of mindfulness comes with this heavy feeling of expectation to find stillness, peace and the answer to all the worlds answers! And when you are caring for a loved one, it’s hard to think you a) have time for this or b) that it will even help.

Does that resonate with anyone else? What challenges in your thinking come up for you in actioning mindfulness?

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