As Friday arrives and we all start to prepare for the weekend, there are often specific intentions we make when going into our days off. That often includes hanging out with friends and family, spending time outdoors, learning something new or even just laying around on the couch and binging Netflix. Regardless, if your ‘weekend’ begins on Friday evening or is spread somewhere throughout the week, more often than not, we have a set of intentions for that time off. Even if it’s to intentionally do nothing!
With a number of common events & activities being restricted due to Covid, it truly forced us as a society to be creative about our extra time. Many turned to new hobbies like baking, painting or knitting. Others leaned towards more outdoorsy habits, like hiking, camping, roller-blading, the list goes on! Others just relaxed and spent time working on themselves or spending time with family. Regardless of what you got into, it’s safe to say our expectations for weekends drastically changed within the past 365 days. And despite all the things we’ve been unable to do this past year, there are still so many alternatives out there to turn to! So when we asked some of our staff yesterday, about some mindful activities they had planned for the weekend, here’s what they told us:
- Do Some Journaling:
- Take time to reflect, use a prompt, or free write your thoughts. Journaling can be done at home or outside and can give us an opportunity to really sit with our thoughts and emotions and understand them better.
- Create Some Art:
- Being able to express ourselves in a creative way can be very cathartic. At MLP our students in our Rise Up program use expressive arts to convey emotions, thoughts and feelings.
- Mindful Nature Walk:
- Take time to do a slow walk through nature. Feel the earth under your feet while taking in the sights, colors, and sounds that your surroundings have to offer.
- Practice Gratitude:
- Having a gratitude practice can really help to start the day off on the right foot. Take some time in the morning to think of 3 things you’re grateful for before starting your day and see how that can impact your day in a positive way.
Despite the number of restrictions due to Covid health concerns, there are plenty of options out there! Of course, these are just a handful of the possibilities, so as today comes to an end, think about some things that you would like to dedicate your time to this weekend, and how incorporating a mindful skill in there can make a significant change!