Close

Recent Posts

Archives

Mindful Living in a Stressful World by Johanna Hicks, Family & Community Health Agent

Mindful Living in a Stressful World by Johanna Hicks, Family & Community Health Agent
  • PublishedAugust 7, 2020


[adning id=”33097″]

 

 

Mindful Living in a Stressful World

Is your mind constantly wandering?  Do you have a hard time concentrating?  Are your thoughts and experiences clouding your judgement?  Are the events of today’s world weighing heavy on your shoulders?

[adning id=”33207″]

Mindfulness meditation practice may help wandering minds to focus and fully experience the present moment—all by applying nonjudgmental thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Mindfulness is a way of living.  Specialists at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offered a few basic tips to get you started on Mindful Living:

  • Sometimes we are overwhelmed by certain situations and may lose our ability to cope with the pressure. Recognize negative thoughts and gradually learn to dismiss them by focusing on the positive side of each situation. Be aware of stress inducers by identifying the underlying causes. Develop an action plan with a healthy coping strategy such as deep breathing or simple physical activities that could help with stress management.
  • Do not always worry about your to-do list. Spend quality time with family, socialize with friends, and more importantly allow yourself your own personal time.
  • When time permits, unplug from social media and technology.  Go outdoors to connect with nature and get some fresh air.  Meet new people or reconnect with your relatives through face to face interactions.
  • Listen to your loved ones with full attention. Listening enables you to be sensitive to the other person’s emotions and helps to accurately understand what they are trying to convey.
  • Pray.  There are a lot of good people who are making a positive impact on the world, and there are a lot of misguided folks who don’t respect the life and property of others.  Everyone deserves and needs to be prayed over.

Practicing mindfulness does not wipe out life’s problems.  Instead, you are training and preparing your mind to stay composed by being more cognizant of the negative thoughts and emotions that originate from stressful situations. This practice leads to greater acceptance of yourself and your circumstances and may thus impact your approach and reactions to different situations. 

 

Back-to-School Fair

The 2020 Hopkins County Back-to-School Fair is still taking place, but it will have a different look this year.  On Friday, August 7, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., the event will be set up at the Sulphur Springs Middle School on the back parking lot.  Exhibitors will be there to distribute school supplies (for those who registered for them), information, prizes, and more.  Be sure to look for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension exhibit.  We will be handing out some fun, usable items, along with information on 2020/2021 4-H enrollment and MyPlate. 

Closing Thought

Attitude is everything – pick a good one. (Furrbies Café – Amarillo)

[adning id=”33207″]




Written By