Getting Started with Mindfulness for Special Needs Parents

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Mindfulness activities can boost your overall wellness. As you deal with the day-to-day and ongoing stressors of raising a child with special emotional needs you may find your own mindfulness starts to deplete. Getting started with mindfulness activities is a great way to maintain your emotional wellness.

Mindfulness activities do not require you to take a yoga class or sit in silence for hours at a time. You can start building in small activities to increase your overall mindfulness throughout your day. Making slight changes to your current activities can easily add mindfulness to your day.

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What is Mindfulness?

Let’s start by looking at what we mean by mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a mental state. It is achieved by 1. focusing awareness on the present moment and 2. acknowledging and accepting any thoughts, emotions, or bodily sensations as they are. Mindfulness is also a common therapeutic technique.

This could mean tuning into and paying attention to your breath. For example, notice how you are breathing without trying to change it.

Another example is checking in with your current feelings. We have a tendency to label our emotions as good or bad. Try to name your emotions and accept them as how you are feeling right now, understand that the feelings will change, and resist the urge to label. It is difficult to accept a feeling if you label it as being negative. This could lead to feeling even worse than you felt when initially acknowledging your current feelings.

It can also be focusing your full attention on the task at hand. Multitasking is tempting and needed at times in our busy schedules. However, focusing fully on tasks be it the dishes, a meal, or a phone call will allow you to be in the present moment.

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What are the Benefits of Increasing Mindfulness?

So, why should special needs parents want to increase their mindfulness? One of the main reasons is that mindfulness helps guide our minds back to the present moment.

Another benefit is that mindfulness can help us increase our overall gratitude. Being grateful for the people, events, and things in our lives increases positive feelings.

Mindfulness can also help reduce stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are two big concerns for our overall well-being. Also, as special needs parents, keeping our stress levels low is very important.  

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Getting Started with Mindfulness: 3 Activities to Try

Square Breathing

Tuning into your breath is a popular mindfulness technique. One way to do this is through square breathing. It is a four step breathing process in which you take even inhalations and exhalations. Furthermore, you can imagine yourself completing one side of the square for each step.

While there are several variations to this technique, I like to use the following steps.

  1. Inhale through your nose for a count of 4.
  2. Gently hold the breath for a count of 4.
  3. Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 4.
  4. Gently rest for a count of 4.
  5. Repeat at least 3 times.

Take this breathing practice to the next level with some aromatherapy! A few drops of essential oil can help target several areas. Try a stress relief blend or some calming lavender. Peppermint or citrus can be invigorating and energizing.

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Image of peppermint essential oil bottle.
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Tuning in Using Your Five Senses

Another method to bring yourself fully into the moment is to acknowledge something you are currently experiencing for each of the five senses. Like square breathing, there are several variations to this technique as well. To get started, I like to label one thing per sense.

For example, right now I can:

  • FEEL – my fuzzy socks on my feet
  • SEE – my computer screen
  • HEAR – my son playing a video game
  • TASTE – my mint flavored hot chocolate
  • SMELL – my daughter’s body lotion

Check out a similar technique called 5-4-3-2-1.

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Check In with Your Whole Body

The above strategy allows you to be in the moment by focusing on your surroundings using your five senses. This technique helps you be in the moment by looking inward. Often we ignore parts of our bodies until we are in pain. This technique allows you to check in with your full body. Again, mindfulness techniques are designed to acknowledge and accept. Be nonjudgmental in checking in. I like to lie down and start at my feet and work my way up my torso then down my arms and then up my shoulders, neck and head.

Another similar technique to increase relaxation is to then start again at your feet, tense the muscles in the area for a few seconds, then completely relax the muscles. Slowly work your way up your body tensing and relaxing.

You can take this practice to the next level with aromatherapy as well. Refresh and energize with peppermint or citrus. Calm and relax with lavender or a stress relief blend.

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Getting Started with Mindfulness for Special Needs Parents: Summary

Today we looked at what we mean by “mindfulness” and how it can benefit our overall well-being by focusing our attention on the present moment and acknowledging thoughts and feelings without judgement. Mindfulness has the potential to lower stress and anxiety. Getting started with mindfulness activities can boost wellness in your special needs parenting journey.

We looked at three activities to try to add mindfulness to your day. They can easily be done at any time of the day. You can do these activities at home, in the car, at work, or in a waiting room.

Give these activities a try and let us know in the comments what worked best for you!

Another great mindfulness activity is to focus on an affirmation. Learn more in the post: Affirmations for Special Needs Parents.

You can also check out Ways Gratitude Can Improve Emotional Health.

As you increase mindfulness you may find yourself wanting to firm up your boundaries. You will find some great strategies for special needs parents in our article, Setting Boundaries for Better Self-Care.

You may also find some more useful resources and activities at mindful.org.

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(This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a commission, if you purchase an item through a link, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Genuine recommendations only.)

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