Practice mindfulness every day

Even a small dose of mindfulness can help you set a positive tone for the day.

Just do it!

Week 1

Day 1 Become aware of what surrounds you

Awareness is a powerful practice in mindfulness. To be able to create awareness in any moment is an ability which you can train throughout the day. Explore what surrounds you. Just notice what is there without judging it. Become aware of your different senses. What can you see, hear, smell, taste, feel ... ?

Day 2 Close your eyes Breathe in Breathe out

Breathing in and breathing out. Close your eyes and let your breath flow. Concentrate only on breathing. There is nothing else for you to do.

Day 3 Sit in silence and observe your thoughts

What about your thoughts? Sit in silence for 3 minutes. Close your eyes, breathe and let your thoughts flow. Just observe - don’t judge - don’t get attached- invite all of your thoughts to show up and just notice what comes up. If it helps you, you can say to yourself: There was the thought that...

DAY 4 EXPERIENCE HOW TO FEEL LIKE A BLADE OF GRASS IN THE WIND

Train your awareness of bodily sensations. Stand upright, the inner sides of your feet should touch each other. Take a deep breath in and out, let your shoulders drop and any tension go. Close your eyes. Now, concentrate on the perception of your body. Feel how you are being carried by your feet. How your feet are firmly rooted to the ground. Fell, how your whole body is being carried. Maybe you perceive small movements. Imagine you are like a blade of grass, firmly rooted to the ground and yet flexible and pliable in a light breeze. Enjoy this feeling.

Day 5 Sit in silence. Listen to the sounds around you.

Today‘s exercise is well suited if you want to train your awareness via the sense of hearing. At the same time you can use this exercise to make your perception purer and free of interpretation. For example when we hear a sound like the hum of a car, we often tend to say, I hear a car. But in reality we only hear a humming sound. Our interpretation makes it a car. I invite you to play a little with your perception of hearing and focus on what you really hear. Have fun!

Day 6 Eat with the opposite hand

Mindfulness practice is also about becoming aware of things we do in autopilot mode. Eating for example. Exercise of the day: EAT WITH THE OPPOSITE HAND. How does that feel?

Day 7 Create an inner smile

Many worrying news are reaching us from all over the world.The importance of our inner strength and balance is becoming more important than ever. The exercise of the INNER SMILE is about creating a smiling, loving energy. Sit comfortably near the edge of your chair. Keep your back straight, shoulders backwards and relax in this position to the rhythm of your breathing. Press the tip of your tongue slightly against the upper palate of your mouth and fold your hands in your lap. Take 3 deep breaths. Close your eyes and become aware of the soles of your feet. Feel their connection to the Earth.

Create a source of smiling, loving energy about 1 meter in front of you. This can be an image of your own smiling face, or of someone or something you love and respect, or any memory of a time in which you felt deeply at peace, perhaps feeling sunshine, being by the ocean, or walking in a forest.

Become aware of the midpoint between your eyebrows through which you will draw this abundant smiling energy in front of and around you. Let your forehead relax; as the smiling energy accumulates at the mid-eyebrow, it will eventually overflow into your body.

Allow the smiling energy to flow down from the mid-eyebrow through your face, relaxing the cheeks, nose, mouth, and all the facial muscles. Let it flow down through your neck. You can roll your head slowly and gently from side to side as you do this.

Feel how this smiling and loving energy is expanding like a blossoming flower. Enjoy this warming positive feeling. If it feels right for you, share it with the world that surrounds you. Let your breath flow.

week 2

Day 8 Design your best day

In times like these we need to adjust our life here and there. New routines might be necessary or also a completely new structure for our days. Exercise of the day: DESIGN YOUR BEST DAY. Grab a pen and a paper and make a timetable from waking up until going to sleep for a normal day. Close your eyes, take some deep breaths. And now describe what your perfect day would look like. Please keep it feasible and realistic. Small steps and changes are more likely to be successful than radical changes of your lifestyle. Keep it simple.

Day 9 Entering new spaces

ENTERING NEW SPACES. We move around. Even though staying at home, we enter different spaces like the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen or living area. We can stick our head out of the window or go outside if we have a balcony or garden. Every time you enter a new area or space, become aware with all you senses what has changed or is changing. Become aware of how the new space makes you feel, if it changes your mood. Become aware of what you see, touch or smell, the materials of floors, walls ceilings and furniture. Pause and experience the new space.

Day 10 Wearing a protective cape

There are times in life where you feel vulnerable and insecure. Situations and people can trigger emotions in you to which you feel strongly exposed. This exercise strengthens you and can bring you into a more detached position, making you feel more secure and present. Imagine a protective cape that you can put on, whenever you need it. Imagine it carefully: What material is it made of? Is it heavy or light as a feather? What colour is it? This cape has the power of only letting positive feelings, thoughts and words come to you. Everything heavy, overstraining, pressurizing and hurting stays outside and cannot reach you.

Visualize before your inner eye how you put on this protective cape. Put it on so that you have enough room to breathe and enough freedom of movement. Make sure that it is well closed and tight, especially in front of your chest. How does it feel to wear it? Can you feel the protective space around you? Can you feel how certain things can no longer reach you? How certain emotions stay outside and bounce off it? Do you feel how security and relaxation can spread through your body?

Breathe calmly and evenly into your lower abdomen and feel this pleasant effect. Wear this cape as often as you want. Imagine you always have it with you, like a rain cape, which you can take out of your pocket and put on when you need it. You can also look for a symbol or an object that will remind you of your protective coat in everyday life - so that you have it available when you need it.

DAY 11 Set your intention

One of the success factors in mindfulness training is to be clear about your own intention. Sit down in a quiet place, pick up a pen and paper. Close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths. Now become aware of why you are currently practicing mindfulness. What is your intention?

Which valuable need or treasure would you like to have more of in your life right now? Relaxation, trust, confidence, serenity? These are just a few examples among many possible ones. Which one is yours? Make sure to formulate your intention positively: So instead of less stress, write more relaxation. The point is to become clear where you want to go. Not what you want to get away from.

Day 12 Think of 3 positive words

Language has a big impact on our emotions. Therefore it is very important to be aware of the words we use and how we talk to ourselves and others. Just like learning a foreign language you can grow your active vocabulary with positive terms. Try to come up with 3 positive words and use the throughout the day as often as possible.

Day 13 The power of good

Why not use your 3 minutes of mindfulness today to think of something good you could do for someone in your life? That someone could be a family member, friend, neighbor or a stranger passing by. Doing good for others makes our lives richer and more fulfilling, simply happier. What would be of joy or use for the other person? Maybe a book you can lend or a cup of fresh coffee that you can offer? Make a list of good deeds you can bring to your world.

Day 14 the compliment

A compliment from the heart: Pay a true compliment from the heart to someone close to you. Someone you like. This exercise is not about complimenting everyone you meet, it is more about being attentive to those around you. „I like the way you smile“ or „ I like that you are so cheerful on the phone.“ etc. This exercise is also about consciously perceiving the compliments that are made to you. Explore the meaning and the effect which the compliment has on you. Pay attention on how you feel when you receive a compliment.

Week 3

DAY 15 What is your moment of ZEN?

Take some time to sit in silence. Think about YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN. When are you in your personal state of zen? What makes your heart be filled with tranquil confidence and love, your mind find stillness and calm? Just being in the moment without expectations nor worries. Positive emptiness.

Day 16 Count your breath

Here comes your breathing exercise for today: count your breath. Count with every exhalation until you reach ten -then start over again. Your mouth is closed, don‘t press your teeth together, let your tongue gently touch the palate. Bring all awareness to your breathing. Nothing else is of importance right now. Do not follow your breath, just count. Focus on every single breath. Enjoy. Don’t worry if you get mixed up. Just start from the beginning.

Day 17 Mindful Listening

The objective is that you direct your full attention on your conversation partner(s). Do not only concentrate on what is being said, but also perceive the mood the person is in. How is the breathing, the expression, the body tension? What is the rhythm and the tone of voice when speaking? Let yourself fully engage in listening. Do not judge what is said. Don't attach yourself to arguments, but try to follow the conversation and ask clarifying questions. Summarize how you understand what is being said, free of your own interpretations. Furthermore, focus on yourself and perceive how you feel about it? Which triggers are activated? Which body perceptions do you have? For example, how does your breath, your posture change? Are you relaxed or tense? What is it like for you to listen mindful?

DAY 18 Who inspires you and how?

Inspiration is around in our every day life. If we are open to it and mindful, we can consciously perceive these inspirations. Inspiration can encourage, motivate and fill us with positive energy. Yes, inspiration can even make us better people. Take some time today and think about who has inspired you in your life so far and with what. Make a list and write down the names of the people and how they have inspired you. When you are done, put down your pen, take three deep breaths and reflect how the exercise makes you feel. Does it change your mood, your thoughts? Enjoy!

Day 19 Self-care check-up

Do you go to a health check-up regularly? Great! But what about your self-care check-up? A self-care check-up offers you the opportunity to not only keep an eye on your lab results but also to track your lifestyle. Mental and emotional health is at least as important as physical health. This reflection will help you to perceive yourself holistically. Your attention will be directed to those areas that can currently contribute a lot to your well-being as well as those that you can improve. In this way you can recognize opportunities and strengthen your positive and open attitude.

Here are some supporting questions for your self-care check-up:

1) How well and sufficiently have you slept (e.g. last night)?

2) How healthy was your diet and did you drink enough water?

3) Did you do any sports and exercise your body sufficiently?

4) Have you maintained your social contacts?

5) Did you do something you like?

6) What was or is your basic mood today? Have you noticed your needs and paid attention to them?

Day 20 ME-Time Reservation

Take some minutes to think about how you spend your time. Time for work, time for leisure, time for sports ... many of the hours of our days are planned and filled with activities we (think) we have to do. Now plan ME-Time. Time for you without any planned activity. Make a fixed reservation in you agenda. This time is for you. You can decide spontaneously how you want to use it. Maybe just for not doing anything at all. Maybe time to just be. Fight for your ME-Time under all circumstances and keep it a treasure or gift you give to yourself.

Day 21 What are you thankful for?

Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert Emmons, a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression. So why not try a little gratitude exercise today? Sit in silence and breathe deeply. Think of 5 things your are thankful for today. If you wish to make this a regular practise, make a list of 5 things every day and read it out to a friend or family member at the end of the week. Share gratitude. Thank you!

Week 4

DAY 22 What does Kindness mean to you?

Let's make this week "kindness-week". I would like you to start with thinking about what kindness means to you. When did you expierence an act of kindness by someone else? How did that feel for you? Explore the meaning of kindess in both fields, the mental and the emotional one. Remember how it felt when you were kind towards someone else. Which other terms would you conotate with kindness?

Day 23 Be kind to yourself

Kindness begins with being kind to oneself. We are often our harshest critics. We can be unforgivable with ourselves for hours or days when we have made a mistake. Of course it is important to be aware of one's mistakes and to learn from them. This means accepting one's mistakes and then letting go or transforming them. But how do we manage to be benevolent and kind with ourselves when we are just so angry with ourselves.

I invite you to have a relaxed, upright sitting position and close your eyes. Pay attention to your breath for a few moments at the beginning of this exercise.

Observe the body sensations as you breathe in and out. Then remember a past event of the day that you were dissatisfied with. This could be a discussion or a conflict. Or even "just" a small mishap, like coffee stains on your shirt.

Now try to imagine that this happened to a very good friend or family member and you would like to cheer him or her up. What would you say or do? What kind words or gestures would you give to this person? Now apply the same to yourself in order to reconcile with yourself. Meet yourself with goodwill, kindness and a smile. Draw strength and power from the experience and think positively about how you can deal with what you have learned.

Day 24 Make Yourself available

Kindness matters to friends, family and even strangers. One way to practise kindness is to make yourself available to others. This can be in many different forms and ways. Take 3 minutes to sit in silence. Concentrate on your breath, let it flow. Now think about people who are close to you, friends, family, neighbours, colleagues. Think about how you can be there for them this week. That might be a phonecall, a videocall, a letter, a picturepostcard, a talk, or just spending time together doing something the other person really likes. Show them that you are there for them and show your love through dedicating your undivided attention. When doing so, also look inside and notice how you feel. Take some time for reflection.

DAY 25 Visit the kindness Gym

Train your facial expressions and body postures of kindness. Take 3 minutes to sit in silence, breathe deeply and think of a person who you consider to be very kind. How does this person act like? Which are the expression on the face? How does he or she to move their body, their hands, how do they breathe while being kind? Practice this for 3 minutes.

The kindness and compassion areas of the brain are linked with the facial expressions, muscle movements, and type of breathing that go along with them. By simulating kindness with your facial expressions, body movements, you also train the kindness areas of the brain and this, in turn, increases our kindness. Imagine going to the kindness gym.

Day 26 Comfort each other

Everybody is having a hard time from time to time. Please draw your attention to the people around you, your family, friends or colleagues and notice if any of them might feel unhappy at the moment. Just notice how the other person might feel without judging the other person's feelings or mood nor exploring the "why"s. Look at the other person through the eyes of loving kindness. Now think of something you could do to comfort or encourage the other person in the current situation. Even if it is as little as asking how you could help and showing that you care and you reach out.

Also become aware of your own mood and feelings and share them and allow another person to comfort and encourage you.

Day 27 Thank You Letter

This is an exercise about good old writing letters. Sit in silence and think about someone you respect in your family, friends, school or workplace or your local community. Write (and send) a “thank you” letter to that person. Here are some inspirations what to write about: ... I really like your personality because... I know I can count on you when.... I really appreciate when you ... I am impressed by the way you....

Day 28 Spread Kindness and Positivity

Make this your “spreading kindness & positivity” day. Think about kind and positive messages you can send out to the world. Use your social media like Facebook, twitter or Instagram or the messaging services, hangouts, profile picture in any platform to publish a positive thought rich in kindness. Let's spread kindness throughout the world. Take care.

3 Minute Mindfulness Challenge ENGLISH VERSION