How mindfulness practices can foster resilience, wellbeing, and a sense of community.

Finding Calm in Chaos

I have been practicing tai chi and other mindfulness-based physical activities for decades. I used to struggle with significant social anxiety and stage fright. I remember trying hard to mask the anxiety I was experiencing when I had to make presentations or even in meetings during which I had to speak in front of people. I immigrated to the United States in my 20s to pursue a graduate degree in social work. English is my second language, and I grew up in Korea until I moved to the United States. Having English as a second language working in an American environment likely compounded my anxiety issues, though I recall myself being an anxious child growing up in Korea.

A decade later, my anxiety worsened when I moved back to Korea, my native country, with my American husband, who was a government employee. Shortly after returning to my native country, I joined the U.S. Army’s Adolescent Support and Counseling Service (ASACS) program (the same one I am still with today) to work with military youth on a U.S. Army base in Seoul, Korea. I enjoyed working with adolescents but found some aspects of the job quite stressful, such as running groups and making presentations. There were times I just wished to disappear because I was dreading the upcoming events and felt nauseous with anxiety.

I may be an anxious creature, but I am also a strong-willed one with grit. Since practicing tai chi, I have been involved in some mindfulness-based physical activities wherever I live worldwide. I was introduced to Taekwondo for the first time in Germany when I transferred to Germany with the same program, ASACS. The Germans thought I would be a Taekwondo genius coming from the country of Taekwondo. Sadly, to their surprise, earning a yellow belt took me a year! I also got to practice Chinese tai chi at a German Taekwondo, which helped me transition to living in Germany.

Discovering Mindfulness Through Movement

Tai chi is meditation in action. It involves mindfulness practice. Mindfulness practice is so widely accepted and practiced these days. It’s a very familiar concept, yet it’s not easy to consistently put it into practice for results. Mindfulness practice involves paying attention to what we experience in the moment without judgment, instead with openness and acceptance of the feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations that visit us. So, commitment and discipline are required to see it work. The practice of mindfulness helps us become more aware of ourselves, others, and what’s happening around us, which usually leads to better decision-making and an increased sense of wellbeing and peace of mind.

When I practice tai chi, I try to keep my attention on the movements and breathing I am engaged in—however, my mind chatters about all sorts of things, disregarding my good intentions. I continue with the movements while simply noticing the mind’s chatters without judgments, keeping my attention on breathing as if they are the most precious thing. And they are, indeed! As I continued with the practice by noticing and accepting my mind’s chatters, they started quieting down. Sometimes, I even notice chatters turning kinder and gentler with occasional thoughts of gratitude.

Integrating Mindfulness into Everyday Activities

Not everyone will get excited about taking up tai chi or other physical activities. However, if you already have physical activities that you regularly practice, I encourage you to try adding a mindfulness practice to your activities. It might help enhance your exercises with better outcomes and more enjoyment, eventually leading to greater peace and balance. Having regular tai chi practice, especially with others who share the same interest in tai chi, makes a difference in how I go about my day every day. Tai chi offers a community where I connect with myself and others by practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness research suggests that developing this capacity to observe ourselves and our surroundings with kindness has deep and nourishing effects on our wellbeing that ripple into our daily lives and communities.

Why Mindfulness Matters

Even if you don’t regularly participate in physical activities, you can still introduce a mindfulness practice into your daily life through daily routine. Every day, we shower, brush our hair, eat, walk, clean, etc. Anything we do, we can do mindfully. On days you feel cluttered in your head, it’s nice to try eating very slowly and savor every bite of your food. Start by simply shifting your breathing to quiet, deep breaths. You may find this helps quell anxiety and feel better grounded. It doesn’t matter what we do to come to the present moment, but to just enjoy being there in totality. Breathe, smell, hear, see, taste, and sense kindly. Namaste.

It’s Monday—again! You wake up to another busy day of worrying how you’ll manage juggling work, family and personal commitments. As the day progresses, stress begins to take its toll, and you feel overwhelmed. Don’t worry! There’s a simple solution. Focusing a few minutes every day on enhancing your mental wellbeing can increase your resilience and help you manage stress. It’s never too late to start, even if this is something you’ve never done before.

So, let’s explore five powerful, easy-to-implement tips to improve your mental wellbeing and embark on a journey towards a calmer, happier and more fulfilling life.

Practice mindfulness

Living in the present moment without judgment can help you be more positive and better manage difficult situations when they arise. Practicing mindfulness or quieting your mind with meditation can help you to stop dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Try physical routines such as yoga, Tai chi, and qigong to prompt mindfulness and focus on your breathing. You can learn to live your best life right now.

Take a break

Find time to do things you enjoy in small increments. Small moments of self-care can have an extremely positive impact on your mental wellbeing. Dive into the captivating world of books. Sit outside and connect with nature. Immerse yourself in thought-provoking podcasts that inspire and uplift your spirits. Or just simply unwind and let go in whatever way brings you joy.

Spend quality time with the ones you love

When you’re with loved ones, take the time to deepen connections and foster stronger relationships. Engage in conversations that help you learn more about each other’s dreams, aspirations and challenges so you can provide support to one another. Consider embarking on new adventures together, such as cooking a new recipe or taking up a fun sport. Or if you’re really up for a challenge, you can try learning a new language or how to play a musical instrument together. Explore new areas in your neighborhood, city or state, like art galleries, parks or gardens, vintage or thrift stores, farmer’s markets, specialty boutiques or shops, cultural or historical landmarks, and hidden trails or scenic spots. Discovering hidden gems with family and friends can create lasting memories. Or tantalize your taste buds by venturing into a new restaurant and indulging in a shared culinary experience. The possibilities for bonding and growth are endless when you embrace quality time with loved ones.

Prioritize sleep and healthy eating

Maintaining a regular sleep schedule and practicing proper nutrition can help you in many ways. These healthy habits work hand in hand to enhance your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety. Establishing a calming routine before bedtime can promote better sleep quality. Consider indulging in a warm bath to relax your body and mind, reading a captivating book to unwind, or listening to soothing music to create a peaceful atmosphere for restful sleep.

In addition, making mindful choices about your nutrition can help improve your mental and physical health. Choose nutrient-rich foods that nourish your body and mind. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your meals, such as colorful berries, leafy greens and crunchy carrots. These wholesome choices provide essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that support your overall wellbeing and boost your mood.

Accept your thoughts and seek help when needed

It’s completely natural to feel down during challenging times, and it’s important to acknowledge and honor those emotions. Remember you don’t have to face hard times alone. Reaching out to the people who genuinely care about you can provide tremendous support and comfort, helping to uplift your spirits and bring comfort during difficult moments.

Additional mental health resources

For more information and resources to enhance your mental wellbeing, visit our award-wining behavioral health resources website, MagellanHealthcare.com/BH-Resources.

SOURCES:           Healthwise, Integrative Life Center

What is it and how to get started

Mindfulness has become a popular topic over the last decade, and for good reason. A growing body of research is showing incredible health, performance, and relationship benefits to adopting the practice. But what exactly is mindfulness and how does one practice it?

Mindfulness is a particular way of focusing on the present moment without judgment. It is a skill, a practice, and a state that helps counteract our brain’s natural tendency to time travel back into the past or ahead into the future. Being in the present moment more often is what enables us to build meaningful relationships and perform at our best.

Unfortunately, most of us are more familiar with not being in the present moment. Research suggests we spend nearly 50% of our time thinking about something other than what we are doing. It’s when you arrive home from work excited to see your family and just as you sit down at the dinner table you remember an email you forgot to reply to and suddenly you’ve missed your kid sharing the best part of their day. Or it’s the moment you’re at work trying to focus during a meeting and your mind wanders back to an argument you had with your spouse that morning. It can also be the moment when you are sitting down to finish a report, but you begin daydreaming about your upcoming vacation. And it’s a hundred moments in between.

Understanding Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of catching our minds when they wander and intentionally bringing them back to where we are—put simply: it’s the practice of being present. The more we practice, the more quickly we’re able to reestablish our mind in the present moment before it impacts relationships or performance.

To be truly mindful is to be able to recognize as your mind wanders away from the here and now, accept the wandering, and recenter your mind back to the present to be where your feet are.

Mindfulness has a long and rich history dating back more than 2,500 years. While this may activate images of ancient monks in stillness and solitude, in the last 15 years, an enormous amount of rigorous research has been conducted supporting the benefits of a mindfulness practice—many that are particularly relevant to thriving in our fast-paced, always-on culture.

Mindfulness Benefits
Mindfulness has been shown to act as a buffer against cognitive anxiety, improve memory and learning, improve sleep, and reduce fatigue. It is also associated with increased frequency in optimal performance states, improved performance in high-intensity contexts, and better regulation of emotion and stress. Importantly, these benefits can be realized without spending hours upon hours a day in silent meditation. Mindfulness training research suggests that 8-20 minutes a day is all you need to see meaningful benefits. If you want a more exact prescription, Dr. Amishi Jha, one of the leading mindfulness researchers, has determined that 12 minutes a day, five days a week is the most effective “dose.” It balances what time-pressed people will actually commit to and it benefits their attention.

Getting Started
Magellan Federal is the world’s largest single employer of professionals with specialized training in performance psychology coaching. Our cognitive performance coaches have delivered education and training to more than 2.7 million within the Army population in the past five years. Here are some simple exercises our coaches teach to help build positive mindfulness habits:

• Practice 1 minute of mindful breathing. Set a timer for one minute and simply turn your attention to your breath. What does it feel like to inhale? What does it feel like to exhale? Try pausing at the top and bottom of each breath. If you find 1 minute too easy, aim for 3 minutes or more.
• Practice mindfulness during everyday activities. For example, while washing the dishes focus on the temperature of the water, the slipperiness of the soap, the sound of the dishes. Every time your mind wanders to something else (as it naturally will), gently guide it back to the dishes. Surprisingly, even for menial tasks like dishes, people who focus on the task, instead of daydreaming, report greater levels of happiness.
• Conduct a brief body scan. Find a quiet place to sit, start with a few mindful breaths, and then turn your attention to your body. Start at the top of your head and work downward, just noting what your body feels like. Don’t get stuck in any particular place; just notice comfort or discomfort and move on until you get to your toes. Finish with a few mindful breaths.

Know that as you try any of these activities, your mind will wander; it is completely natural. Mindfulness is the practice of gently bringing your mind back to your target. Each time your mind wanders, think of it as a repetition to strengthen the skill of returning to the present moment.

Making it Stick — Find or Build a Community of Support
Like most new habits, developing a mindfulness practice can be tricky. Research has shown that learning with and from others on a similar path has a staggering effect on success.

Magellan Federal believes in a human-centered approach when building new habits like mindfulness. We are currently developing a solution that models the success we have found through our work with the Army, which will incorporate live coaching sessions and a community of support to further enhance successful habit change. Finding or building a group or partnership that supports your mindfulness goals and offers encouragement and motivation along the way will make you more likely to succeed in creating mindfulness habits that stick. You might consider adding a mindful minute with your family before dinner, starting a team meeting with a mindfulness practice, or finding your own unique way to build community around mindfulness practice.

Learn More
Magellan Federal’s holistic approach seeks to help people not only improve performance, but health, relationships, and culture—and mindfulness is a key piece of the puzzle for many people. If you are Interested in starting a mindfulness practice or connecting to a community of support, contact us today.

Article originally published on MFed Inform.

Making smoother transitions from work to home and vice versa can help you enjoy all aspects of your life more. While bringing work issues home seems to be the most common problem, some simple strategies can help ease the transition in either direction.

Use goodbye rituals
Whether it’s saying goodbye to your family members and pets, or playing a quick game with your kids, it helps to use a consistent pattern for your farewells. A dependable kiss and a phrase of affection can steer everyone toward having a good day.

Glance at your planner
To prepare for the day’s activities, take a quick look at whatever type of planner you use. This can trigger some creative ideas and strategies for the day. Each evening, check what is on the schedule or needed for the next day.

Try to cut down on the daily rush
When driving, ease up on the gas pedal. Try to leave a few minutes earlier so that you’re not weaving in traffic or tailgating slower drivers. If you are working from home, try preparing the night before your work day. If you’re going to be on your computer, tidy your home office, and pre-program your coffee maker or tea kettle.

From work to home
Leave work issues at work. If you’ve had a bad day, whether it be in your home office or at work itself, the last thing you want to do is bring those issues and feelings home with you. For everyone’s benefit, mentally remove yourself from work before coming home or logging off for the day.

Start fresh at home
Familiar end of work day rituals can help clear your head and refresh you. Do something simple like changing clothes or washing your face. Or, stand out on the back porch for a moment to breathe. Put on your favorite soothing music or do your favorite exercise. Sweep out the garage. Experiment and find out what works best for you.

Enjoy a little down time
Don’t rush right into preparing a meal if you can help it. Grab at least a few moments of relaxation with your partner, children and/ or pets first.

Make a clean break
At home for the evening, avoid work-related email and messaging if possible. If you can’t fully avoid it, limit it to just a set time, away from the family space.

For additional information, visit MagellanHealth/MYMH

This document is for your information only. It is not meant to give medical advice. It should not be used to replace a visit with a provider. Magellan Health does not endorse other resources that may be mentioned here.

It’s officially the holiday season—bring on the parties, travel, end-of-year work activities, and squeezing in quality time with loved ones! This year, remember to make time to take care of yourself and start 2020 off with your healthiest, most vibrant YOU. Here are our top three holiday health hacks:

Be mindful of your alcohol intake.

Avoiding triggers can be challenging this time of year. Dr. Caroline Carney, chief medical officer of Magellan Rx, was quoted in a helpful Huffington Post article that offers 14 useful tips for navigating the holidays when you’re not drinking.

Be mindful of your plate.

The celebration over food and eating during the holidays can be tough…but it doesn’t have to be! With a little planning and preparation, you can make healthy choices. Check out these 10 easy tips to for managing your diet this holiday season.

Be mindful.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth. It will do wonders when you’re sitting in all that holiday traffic.

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday!

As we pass from one year into the next with celebration, it can be a terrific time to reset, reframe and evaluate how we’ve been living. Do you feel run down on a regular basis? Do you feel unsatisfied with your career or personal relationships? Is there something that is weighing on your confidence? If enough dissonance exists between how we wish to live and how we’re currently going about our daily lives, the gap can begin to weigh on our happiness, health and sense of identity. It’s important to realize that to struggle with this dissonance from time-to-time is to be human, but there are a few simple tips you can take on to gradually reposition thoughts and make progress toward living a more satisfying, mindful life in the new year.

1. Prioritize connecting with family and friends. While it’s easy to get consumed with shopping for just the right gift, making the house “just-so” and achieving an Instagram-worthy holiday or party scene, try to steal a few minutes in your day to press the pause button. Savor your coffee, close your eyes and think about the valued relationships in your life. Make time for a quality visit, phone call, or send a card, text message or social media message to someone you fell out of touch with – just to wish them well and ask how they are. Knock on an elderly neighbor’s door, or look up and notice someone in your path that may be in need of a connection, and offer a friendly conversation.

2. Evaluate your self-care routine. When we think of healthy habits we aspire to adopt, we often look at the physical habits we can improve on – regular exercise, balanced diet, more water and sleep. Every year, many people begin with a resolution to finally tackle the mystical formula of being able to incorporate these habits into their daily life. While the holidays can be a great time to schedule that annual physical to check-up on your physical self, make sure you’re also scheduling in time to identify why it’s been difficult to achieve your goals and what you specifically need in order to feel strong and resilient. How do you feel about yourself? What are some negative influences in your life? Being honest about these questions can help you pinpoint how to move forward and incorporate ways to take care of your mental and emotional needs along with the physical. Your self-care routine will be unique to you, whether it’s recognizing that you need more quiet time in your day, or that your current situation leaves you feeling socially-isolated. Discovering what’s truly bothering you can feel very freeing, and offer a clearer picture of how to move forward.

3. Talk to someone proactively. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or a professional therapist or coach, exploring your feelings and the way you react to life stressors with an objective third party can help you step back and observe your needs in a different light. We often limit ourselves unconsciously with thinking patterns, views and behaviors that we’ve built on through the unique experiences in our lives. Recognizing the ability to look at things from a different perspective before we find ourselves in a serious state helps us to build that mindfulness muscle – helping us to cope better with challenges, react in constructive ways and practice resiliency. If you’re hoping to speak with a professional, there are now more options than ever to access them. Employers often offer a series of free and confidential coaching or counseling sessions as part of an Employee Assistance Program. If you struggle with transportation or have a packed schedule, or would like to experiment with different types of support, there are also a growing number of online options that can be sought out at any time of day – from online cognitive behavioral therapy programs (CBT), to text or video therapy or coaching, and many mobile apps that can help you track and practice positive daily habits (search for “meditation” or “mindfulness” in your app store, for example.)

4. Think about how you handle change. Change is constant and often feels disruptive to our lives. Whether it’s broader, societal change that we observe, or more personal life events – changing jobs, moving to a new location, or having a new child, change affects us all differently. It may interrupt our ability to fall asleep at night. It may even induce feelings of fear and anxiety. It may force us to evaluate how to think about ourselves and our relationships. Stepping back and taking a look at how we react to change helps us to be more mindful of the constructive steps we can take to alleviate worries and rise above negativity. Practice reframing what you hear and be open to looking at a situation from all perspectives. Think about different options you have in your reactions, and try to be empathetic to those that may have a different reaction to the same situation. Acknowledge others’ feelings as valid – even if they are different from yours. Lastly, it’s important to focus on aspects of a situation that you can control and impact positively, and to lessen time worrying about things you cannot. There are situations where you’ll have to take things as they come and allow things to happen.

5. Practice failing well. Chances are, you’ll be making some important life choices this year. Maybe you’re helping your child choose which major to take in school. Maybe you’re evaluating your own education and career options. Maybe you’re looking to deepen existing relationships, or find a fulfilling new one. Self-doubt inevitably can creep in and interfere with your ability to achieve these goals and make helpful decisions. Failing well is a skill, and learning to cope with and navigate failures will do wonders for your confidence and knowledge about yourself. Many successful people have shared that they’ve succeeded because of their failures and ability to find their strengths through them.

In the words of all-star NBA player, Michael Jordan:

“If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

We at Magellan wish you a happy, healthy and more mindful 2017!