10 Ways to Use Mindfulness to Improve Self Care  10 Ways to Use Mindfulness to Improve Self Care  Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHCExecutive Director: AllCEUs.comPodcast Host: Counselor Toolbox and Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
~ What is mindfulness~ How do you do mindfulness~ FLOAT: ~ Focus~ Let go of judgement~ Observe your thoughts~ Awareness of your environment~ Thankful for the experienceTIPS~ 1. Emotion Acceptance~ Emotions are physiological reactions that tell us to do something—repeat, avoid, grieve, accept~ Identify your beliefs about emotions~ Identify ways you dodge/stuff/avoid emotions and their consequences~ When you do your mindfulness activity, identify what emotions you are feeling, why and what you need to do to improve the next moment~ Begin learning how to trust yourself
~ 2. Thought Awareness~ Our thoughts often connect with our emotions.  ~ Becoming aware of your thoughts gives you the opportunity to dispute and change them~ Identify the thoughts you are having with each emotion~ Review your thoughts for extreme words and replace all or nothing with sometimes~ Review your thoughts for critical statements. Ask yourself– “Says who?” and Ask yourself “Would I say this to anyone else?”~ Find balance –the dialectics
~ 3.Be mindful of your intentions~ Self-fulfilling prophesy~ Who and what is important in your life…Is this action getting you closer to or further away (taking a job, a relationship, anger…)~ 4. Develop an attitude of gratitude~ 15 things may have gone wrong, but what went right?~ 5. Practice intentionality~ Eat mindfully~ Bathe mindfully~ Drive mindfully…
~ 6. Practice Radical Acceptance… It is what it is~ Do not fight it you are how you are in the moment, how can you improve the next moment?~ 7. Find Meaning ~ Failure means you succeeded in learning how NOT to do it and you got outside your comfort zone~ Loss means it wont be present in the future, but you still have the memories and all the ways it changed you~ 8. Use Imagery to help you relax
~ 9. Practice Mindful Listening~ Listen with the intent to hear not respond~ 10. Practice I statements~ Find your part and power in situations