Finding different ways of incorporating wellness into our everyday is so important in helping us to stay healthy and happy, but doing so can seem daunting, time-consuming and not all that easy.
We wanted to start figuring out the best ways in which we can practice wellness regularly, and in a super-achievable way, so we spoke to mindfulness expert Kareen Griffiths.
Kareen is the founder of Calmify, which aims to teach people how to better focus their minds in the present, avoid distractions and overcome the many stresses and barriers which can serve to disrupt our peace, happiness and productivity.
During our chat, we talked about what mindfulness is, how we can start making it a daily-habit and Kareen gave us her top tips for making it work within our working days.
What inspired you to launch Calmify?
My passion for Calmify was born out of a difficult time a few years back when I experienced the grief of losing multiple loved ones over quite a short period. I was feeling a lot of anxiety and I have up work to spend time looking after myself, particularly my mental wellbeing. This led me to begin learning the tools of mindfulness, which really helped me with my grief, learning to live in the present. Because of how much it helped me, the pandemic gave me the opportunity to qualify as a teacher and now I can’t imagine not having these tools; I just wish I’d had them before.
Have you always been good at practising mindfulness?
No. It was difficult at first. The real challenge for me was being able to put the time aside to focus purely on exploring myself; my own mind. However, once I started trying, my curiosity started to grow and I began to notice what stillness felt like for me. It was an incredibly comforting experience.
Now I’ve got to the point where, as I teach it to others, it feels so natural. Mindfulness is always with me, and it has allowed me to connect so much better with people. It’s sort of like my mobile phone, only much, much less distracting!
What is mindfulness and how is it different from meditation?
I like to describe mindfulness in a very simple way; it’s about noticing being in the present and incorporating that into your day. So you can practice mindful walking, mindful eating, and you can even be mindful while listening to music – that one is my favourite!
Meditation, on the other hand, is when you put time aside – ideally 10 minutes a day – to sit and have dedicated mindful practice. In the same way you would train for a run, dedicated practice is how you ‘build the muscle’ of mindfulness.
Why do you think some people struggle with meditation?
Sometimes we have a constant chatter in our minds and it can be hard to switch that off. We can also have expectations of ourselves which are too high and become discouraged when our practice doesn’t immediately show results. Instead, we should be kind to ourselves and okay with doing things little by little.
Almost everything in modern life is about speed and expediency; we are never really encouraged or taught to be still, and many people find it hard to let go of these expectations. That is why it is a practice. Again, I come to the analogy: you wouldn’t run a marathon without training your body, and likewise you cannot expect to be calm if you don‘t take the time to practice it.
Do you have a morning routine that sets you up for the day?
I have a young child, so I have to be realistic and flexible. The phone is one of the last things I pick up so the day doesn’t run away with me! I try to be mindful while getting myself ready. When brushing my teeth, I notice how the water and toothpaste feel in my mouth, and, in the shower, how the water feels on my skin. Before I open my laptop to start work, I spend 10 minutes just sitting with myself.
I’m not always consistent but I know that if I don’t practice mindfulness in the morning, I will later in the day.
What kinds of techniques can business owners use to practise more mindfulness during their working day?
As a business owner myself, I try to refrain from saying I’m busy, as it is just a natural state of affairs! It’s just the way it is. But that doesn’t mean that mindfulness has to take a backseat. There are multiple opportunities throughout a busy day to practice. For example, I tend to use my tea breaks as an opportunity to be mindful; I drink my tea slowly while looking out of the window, savouring a moment in silence. Not that mindfulness has to mean silence. Every day, I listen to a piece of music. Sometimes, I will have a dance – even this can be done mindfully!
It is important to book what I call ‘meet me’ time in your diary. This is where I will take 5 minutes in between meetings to sit in silence and connect to my senses.
The STOP meditation is really good to help you notice when you’re stuck in autopilot:
S – See. See the situation taking place and what you are doing
T – Think. What am I thinking?
O – Observe. Look around you. What is actually happening?
P – Proceed. Decide how you want to proceed and trust your decision making.
What are the benefits of practising mindfulness?
Many people correctly associate mindfulness with the alleviation of stress, but the benefits also go beyond that. Mindfulness can help you improve your focus, your sleep and the choices you make everyday.
The mindfulness tools you learn during a Calmify experience can help you to become more present in all the moments of your life; to truly tune into yourself, without distraction. You can begin to understand yourself more deeply and learn to acknowledge your flaws – the first step to improving yourself. You can begin to share yourself more fully with others, whether they be colleagues, friends or loved ones. It will help you to better cope with whatever life can throw at you.
What services does Calmify offer?
Calmify offers mindfulness experiences for individuals, as one-to-one sessions or taster sessions, for businesses and for events, such as Festivals.
