According to the 2020 Cortland County Youth Survey, 40.4% of Cortland County 7th-12th graders report they are more anxious than usual due to COVID-19. Just because we are moving towards overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic does not mean that COVID-19 related anxiety and stress isn’t still affecting Cortland County parents and teens. The uncertainties and trials of life incite anxiety, worry, and stress to begin with. On top of this, living through the pandemic has certainly come with tragedy, fear, and a heightened sense of anxiety.
Spending too much time daydreaming, overthinking, and/or thinking negative thoughts is often draining. These behaviors can also make you more likely to experience stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Practicing mindfulness exercises can help direct you and your teen’s attention away from this kind of thinking and engage with the world around you both.
A proven way to improve health and wellness and reduce stress and anxiety is through practicing self-care. One effective self-care tactic to help with stress and anxiety is called mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re feeling and sensing in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Practicing mindfulness involves guided imagery, breathing methods, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress.
Mindfulness began as a Buddhist tradition, and is now recognized by psychotherapists as a form of cognitive therapy. Mindfulness is unique from other forms of meditation in that the primary focus is one’s physical state.
Mindfulness Meditation- Some simple steps
- Find a quiet space. Some recommend to sit cross-legged on the floor
- Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and relax
- Stay focused. Thoughts will try to pull your attention away from your breath, but try to stay focused on your breathing.
- Do this for 5-10 minutes. A daily practice will provide the most benefits.
There are many simple forms of mindfulness that can be practiced anywhere. For example, mindfulness is as simple as living in the moment and paying attention. Sounds a bit too simple, doesn’t it? Truly, if we slow our thoughts down and engage in the world around us, we can reduce our stress levels.
If you are a parent in Cortland County experiencing anxiety and stress, it is likely that your teen(s) may be too. A positive way to influence your teen’s willingness to try mindfulness meditation is by offering to try it together!
