Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.

47,612Members
1,358,869Posts
1,400,000Visitors

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

Unknown userMember21 Aug 2018, 4:31 pm AEST

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!

Want to receive an email reminder on the night? Hit the 'Support' button below.

______________________________________________________________________

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.

If you have any questions about how to use the Forums, check out our Guides.

68 replies

41 - 50 of 68

1...4 5 6 7

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

Shaz51Senior Contributor25 Sept 2018, 7:54 pm AEST

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

A STeP forward @Former-Member

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

Unknown userMember25 Sept 2018, 7:57 pm AEST

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

I am sure that a few of you will have heard the importance of self care as a carer and that in order to take care of your loved one you need to first take care of yourself? I understand this can feel a bit like an eye roll statement from time to time.

So, to take it from another angle, do you think mindfulness would be something that in practicing, you could feel better able to share the strategy with your loved one? What exercises could you do together?

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

Shaz51Senior Contributor25 Sept 2018, 8:00 pm AEST

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

Photography when Mr shaz has a good day @Former-Member

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

SA64Contributor25 Sept 2018, 8:01 pm AEST

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

@Former-Member my daughter had absolutely no interest in mindfulness or meditation at all. Even when I started doing it and told her the benefits that I had noticed, she just wasn't interested. And that was okay. She actually is mindful without knowing it because she draws as a strategy for when she starts to feel overwhelmed. I won't tell her it's mindfulness if you don't...

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

Unknown userMember25 Sept 2018, 8:06 pm AEST

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

Photography is a nice one @Shaz51 - by going through the lense you can pay attention to the here and now!

@SA64 I wonder if regardless your daughter may still have picked up on some mindfulness vibes by accident

One idea I saw online (will place the link at the end of the TT) from a family struggling with a very distressing time was that they would share a three breath hug: 'We gathered... put our arms around each other and had a 3-breath hug to ground ourselves and give each other love and support.'

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

Unknown userMember25 Sept 2018, 8:11 pm AEST

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

@Former-Member - I totally missed your wonderful image that you shared! Just realised.

Love the idea behind it. Mindfull vs Mindful? I think this is such a common fear of mindfulness - this idea that we need to stop the buzz or hum of our thoughts. To be honest I would need super human strength to do that! I think you can engage mindfully in activities whilst carrying that buzz with you. Noticing that you don't want to switch off the thoughts, but you are also going to focus on being aware of them, present with them. Does that help warm any of that sceptic in you?

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

KayjCasual Contributor25 Sept 2018, 8:11 pm AEST

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

Exploring nature. Always good.

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

Unknown userMember25 Sept 2018, 8:16 pm AEST

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

@Kayj thats a good one - easy enough to do with a loved one too which helps.

We have spoken about the day to day use of mindfulness but what about when you are feeling a higher level of stress or your loved one is at a more acute time.

Bringing in practices of mindfulness may not fix everything or make the pain go away but it can help us notice what is happening internally and allow us to slow the pace of a high stress situation. This can help to hold a calm space for your loved one and keep your own anxiety managed in the moment. Noticing and being mindful of the warning signs of stress rising is important.

Can you think of times when you have felt really overwhelmed and look at what kind of feelings and behaviours have come up for you? Let’s call them out here together and maybe even write them down for yourself. You can refer to this to remind yourself of warning signs to get on top of before the stress climbs

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

KayjCasual Contributor25 Sept 2018, 8:21 pm AEST

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

There have been times when I am dealing with multiple demands. I feel that I won't be able to successfully manage all I have to do. It brings up feelings of failure and panic. If I can't do this who will?

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

Shaz51Senior Contributor25 Sept 2018, 8:25 pm AEST

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

I agree @Kayj

One is " why me ' and then my mind says ' why not me ' @Former-Member

41 - 50 of 68

1...4 5 6 7