Stress-Free Christmas Series. Week 1: Mindful Walk

In winter, we don't feel like going outside much, and in our free time, we'd rather curl up under the blanket and watch TV. But it's especially helpful in winter if you limit blue light to a minimum and reconnect with the natural rhythm of the year. A daily mindful walk will help with this.

Go for walks outside as often as possible, even 20 minutes is enough, notice what it's like outside. It's getting late, it's dark early. It's damp and cold outside. Nature is in this mood too, and many animals are hibernating. Winter is a time of regeneration. We should also get into this rhythm in our daily lives and use the winter period to regenerate our strength, self-reflect and work with our inner energy. Mindful walks can help with this. If you don't have time for a walk, take advantage of mindful walking whenever you're outside and you're not in a rush.

When walking, pay attention to:

• Feet touching the ground.

• What different sounds can be heard and how these sounds change, disappear and new ones appear.

• How do you perceive temperature, where on your body do you feel heat and where on the contrary do you feel cold?

• What smells do you smell around you?

• How the body "breaks" the air, how the air touches the face, hands...

• You can also focus your attention on what is happening around you, notice the landscape, the trees, and the movement in them.

Has your mind wandered to worries? No problem. Just gently bring your attention back to the here and now.

Author: Veronika Veselá