(bright music)
(light music)
- Lidia.
Hey, Lidia.
Are you okay?
- Oh.
(laughing)
Yes.
Of course, Brandon.
Never better.
How are you?
Did you finish your final exams?
- No, I have one more exam tomorrow morning
and I'm totally overwhelmed.
No one ever said college would be this hard.
But wait, what are you doing?
- I am practicing mindfulness,
it's a meditation technique.
I use mindfulness to control my stress during the day,
especially during exam week.
When I practice mindfulness,
I can handle my stress and keep my focus.
Come on, I have an extra mat.
Brandon, roll it out
and I'll show you how it's done.
- Sure, I'll give it a try.
(bright music)
- Okay, Brandon.
The key to mindfulness is relaxing,
and allowing your mind to acknowledge
the physical sensations of your body
and the thoughts that come into your head.
This body scan exercise may help you
stay focused throughout the day.
- Okay, I'm ready.
- [Lidia] First, lay back with your legs fully extended.
You may keep your eyes open or closed,
whatever helps you relax.
Now, bring your attention to your breathing.
Notice the air entering your nose,
traveling down into your lungs,
and expanding your chest.
Then exiting as you exhale.
You may notice noises around you
or thoughts entering your mind.
Acknowledge each one separately before moving onto the next.
I want you to think of a leaf floating on a stream.
Place each thought on a new leaf,
and watch it float away.
Good.
Now, let's scan your body from head to toe.
Starting with your head, your scalp, and your hair.
Begin to run your attention towards your neck
and then your shoulders.
As your shoulders relax,
bring your attention to your chest.
Then to your abdomen,
and from there to your back.
Continue to relax each muscle.
Focus now on your legs,
then your thighs and your knees.
Focus your attention on this moment.
Right here, right now.
Now move to your calves, your ankles,
your feet, and your toes.
Good, Brandon.
Now focus your attention on scanning back up your body
and on your breath.
Slowly sit up and we are finished for today.
(deep breathing)
- [Brandon] Wow, it's been a long time
since I've felt this relaxed.
I need to keep practicing this so I can get good at it.
- All you need is a quiet space.
Mindfulness is one of many tools to help manage stress.
Today we practiced body scanning,
which is one of many mindfulness exercises.
Next time we should consider
finding a place with no distractions or interruptions,
which will benefit our practice.
- Thank you for teaching me this.
I can see myself practicing mindfulness now
and in the future.
- No problem, Brandon.
Glad to hear this was helpful.
Feel free to join me anytime.
(bright music)