“Mindful Moments” for Mental Health Awareness Week

Mindfulness - “a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment”.

Over the past few years, practising mindfulness has become incredibly popular, and it’s no surprise. From breathing exercises to writing gratitude lists, there is an endless array of ways to be incorporate mindfulness into daily life.

One way of implanting mindfulness seamlessly into your routine is when preparing and drinking your coffee in the morning.

How many times have you hastily made a coffee, impatiently grabbing the first mug you find in the sink, throwing in a random amount of coffee and pouring in way too much milk as you scroll through Instagram. You take one sip before getting distracted by something, leaving your milky concoction on the side to go cold.

This hurried approach is all-too common in many people’s morning routine. But it can be easily changed.

Start by choosing your favourite mug. Reach for the coffee, noticing the delicate aromas that emerge when you open the seal. Consider where the beans have come from, how far they’ve travelled to end up in your hands this morning. Pour the water and milk slowly and carefully, measuring and tailoring the amounts to your taste. As you savour each sip, focus on the texture, sweetness, richness, creaminess.

Mindfulness starts with small moments of awareness in your day, your coffee routine is the perfect place to start.