By Rachel Grunwell – yoga + meditation teacher, wellness coach, author of the book Balance, and co-leader of the Mindful Moments retreats at the Polynesian Spa

Here are 4 mindfulness practices that can help to dump stress. You don’t have to incorporate all of them into your life. Choose just one that most resonates with you and work on this one idea. Or have a go at all four practices if you are super curious and have the time.

I recommend all of these ideas for a more calm and happy life. I’m personally working on all of them myself to feel more in balance and happier. The trick is to start with one idea and do it for a few minutes a day and then build on this time, or pick up another idea. Over time, you just keep building on living a more “mindful life”.

  1. Give gratitude. Take a few moments each day to feel grateful for someone, or something, in your life that makes you smile. It could be your cat or dog, a loved one, a place you love to be in… Take a few moments to feel gratitude for this place, person or thing that makes you happy. Use visualisation. Another way to give gratitude is to do something… like write a message, text, or email to someone and tell them how you are grateful for them in your life. The more specific your gratitude is the better.
  2. Movement is medicine. Move your body in a mindful way to help you to feel more vibrantly alive. Movement helps your body, as well as your mind and soul. We are made to move. So move in a way that moves you… Sometimes we can get stuck in the “thinking”. Movement helps us to dump stress, feel more grounded and feel more in the present moment. People deal with stress differently. Some find meditation really works. While, others (like me) find doing something active is a great distraction from a busy life.
  3. Try mindfulness meditation. Learn how to be more present, aware, and tuned into the moment. This is all just about taking a few moments to check in with yourself in how you are thinking and feeling and then choosing how you wish to be. You don’t need to be cross-legged and in India and sitting in silence. You can be anywhere and do this anytime. Mindfulness meditation helps us to respond too with a more considered mind – rather than having knee jerk reactions. You can read books on the subject, listen to podcasts, or work with a mindfulness meditation like me to help you understand this discipline more clearly with practical ideas on what to do. Here’s a 60 second vid where Mindfulness meditation is explained by moi on instagram. Click HERE
  4. Sleep life a baby so you perform like a beast. This means 7 hours plus a day. Kids, and athletes, need more. Sleep helps us to think more clearly, respond more quickly and perform at our bests. It helps us to feel calmer and happier and to tap into more creativity. If you want to be productive… then sleep like a baby so you can do life like a beast. Often people turn to expensive supplements or expensive ideas to feel healthier. Sleeping is free!
    • * Work with Rachel for delivery of a mindfulness meditation presentation by booking a time with her agent, Josie via [email protected]. Rachel does 20min, 40min or 1 hour interactive presentations
    • Buy Rachel’s book Balance: Food, Health + Happiness full of 30 global experts sharing research-backed ideas on how to live healthier and happier.