- Listen to sounds. Several times a day pause and simply listen. Listen as if you had just landed from a foreign planet. See if you can hear all sounds as music being played just for you.
- Notice trees. Notice their different shapes and heights. Notice their different colors, branches and leaves. (If there are no trees where you live, focus on cacti, bushes or grass.
- Notice the wind. Wind has many forms. Of course, there is a gust of wind, which has many varieties. There’s movement in our breath, when we smell something and when we blow on a hot beverage, the air moves when we walk. It moves inside appliances like dryers and refrigerators.
- Use your non-dominant hand. Use your non-dominant hand to perform ordinary tasks, everything from brushing your teeth to combing your hair, to writing and eating.
- Feel the bottoms of your feet. Become aware of the tiny sensations on the bottoms of your feet, along with the surfaces they’re touching. Pay attention to the temperature, to the warmth or coolness. It’s suggested, doing this especially when you’re getting anxious or upset, because shifting your attention in this way helps you to feel more anchored and stable and maybe even serene.
- Feel the earth beneath you. “The Buddha observed that you can pour any liquid, pleasant rose water or unpleasant sewage, onto the earth, and the earth remains solid and immovable,” Bays writes. It is firmly beneath us. Become aware of this often. Use your senses of sight and sound to pay attention. When you’re not outside, use your imagination to feel the earth beneath the floor.
- Notice the color “blue.” Notice blue, and its variations, everywhere in your environment. Notice it in the sky. Notice it at work on your colleague’s suit. Notice it in a vase at your best friend’s house. Notice it on your commute or at the grocery store. Notice it in a surprising place.
- Focus when entering new spaces. Opening the door and walking through are largely unconscious movements (unless we are somewhere we’ve never been). This is one example of how we move through much of our day like sleepwalkers, navigating through the world while caught in a dream. As we learn to become present, bit by bit the gap closes and life becomes more vivid and satisfying. As such, before walking through a door, pause—even for a second—and take a deep breath. Focus on the differences you might feel in each new space you enter today.
- Breathe with your phone. Every time your phone dings or rings or buzzes, pause and take three mindful breaths. Or set an alarm to go off several times a day, such as every 53 minutes, and take several breaths then. This is like “a pause that refreshes.”
- Appreciate your hands. Several times a day, watch your hands as if they belonged to a stranger. Watch them as you’re typing and making lunch. Watch them as you’re brushing your teeth and washing the dishes. Watch them when they aren’t doing anything. Focus on all the seemingly mundane but magnificent things our hands help us accomplish.
In conclusion, you will find these steps helpful in your everyday life and if you are going through drug and alcohol rehab, these tips can be very helpful in your recovery. Contact GateHouse Treatment today for additional questions. (855) 448-3588
Editorial Staff at Gatehouse Treatment Centers
The Editorial Staff at Gatehouse comprises experienced content specialists offering reliable and well-researched resources to populations experiencing addiction and recovery. Our writers are psychology graduates, former therapists, and seasoned editors, offering many years of real-world experience and expert writing. We strive for a compassionate tone that values forward-thinking and cutting-edge scientific developments. We are devoted to producing work that inspires readers to go after the long-term recovery they deserve.
Latest posts by GateHouse Treatment Editorial Staff (see all)
- Cymbalta Withdrawal: Causes, Symptoms, And Management - October 12, 2023
- Boredom in Recovery: 5 Tips to Avoid Relapse - October 6, 2023
- Overconfidence and Rehab: Avoiding Relapse - October 4, 2023
