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A.

A

mindful pause is an in-

tentional break to attend

fully to something. It’s

the opposite of behaving

automatically. By introducing these

small gaps of careful attending among

your normal daily activities, you can

train your body and mind to be less

reactive. This can mean, for instance,

saying something in a less-inflamma-

tory way or not saying anything at all.

Training yourself to pause is an act of

kindness not only to yourself but also

to those who will benefit from a calmer,

10 4 DI ABETIC LI VING / S UMMER 2 019

Mindful Pauses

This mindfulness exercise can reduce stress

and promote feelings of ease and calm.

BY REBECCA ELDRIDGE

SEUNGYEOL SHIN / OFFSET.COM

REBECCA ELDRIDGE is a senior

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

(MBSR) teacher and teacher-trainer

at the Center for Mindfulness at the

University of Massachusetts Medical

School. She runs a free online medi-

tation community for people around

the world. For more information or

to join the weekly meditation, visit

umassmed.edu/cfm/community/

meditation-community/

BEFORE YOU GO

healthier you. Best of all, pausing is

easy to do.

Choose an activity that you do daily,

such as brushing your teeth or getting

in your car. Bring all your senses to that

activity: Feel the toothbrush in your

hand or the seatbelt being fastened.

Notice how the toothpaste tastes or

the steering wheel feels, and so on. The

point is simply to pay attention.

If you enjoyed that experience, you

can also experiment with the following

practices, or find your own ways to in-

corporate mindful pauses into your day.

1. As you enter a room or return
   home for the day, gently touch
   the doorknob and release ten-
   sion in your jaw, shoulders, and
   belly. Take three breaths before
   going inside.


2. When you feel overwhelmed, close
   your eyes and listen to the sounds
   in your environment—those close
   to you and those farther away.


3. Notice the color of someone’s
   eyes before you respond to them.


4. Fully taste the first few bites of a
   meal or sips of a beverage.


5. Set a timer to sound a few times
   during the day. Let the sound
   signal you to close your eyes and
   feel a full breath.