Mindful Coffee: Coping Skill Series

Welcome back to the coping skills series! Many times, it can feel like coping skills are extra things that we have to do for our mental health. You might not feel like you have the time to meditate or go on a walk. Even for myself as a psychotherapist, sometimes it can feel like life gets in the way and it feels impossible to practice self care or coping skills. If this feels like you, then this week's coping skill has your name all over it!

All you need to do is drink coffee (or whatever your drink of preference is). Sound too good to be true? Let me tell you more.

When I say the word "mindfulness", I'm curious what comes to your mind. Maybe meditating for hours? Hot yoga? Body scans? I think this is where most people's minds go to - and you would be correct! These are great examples of mindfulness. However, there is so much more to mindfulness than sitting silently for long periods of time. I like to describe mindfulness as the following:

"Mindfulness is simply the opposite of MindLESSness."

For example, you may wake up in the morning, brew some coffee, and mindlessly drink it as you go about scrolling on your phone to get ready for the day. You're probably not paying much attention to the coffee. Let's take a moment to consider what the opposite of that might be - mindfully drinking your coffee.

If you were to mindfully drink your coffee, you would devote all of your focus toward the coffee. You would pay attention to the weight of the mug in your hands, appreciate the deep brown colour of the coffee, notice the feeling of the hot (or cold!) liquid touch your lips and warm your body, take in the aroma of the drink, pay attention to how it makes you feel... There are so aspects of even just your morning coffee to pay attention to! This is is how we mindfully drink our coffee.

Why is that important?

Being mindful is another way of staying in the present moment. Frequently our brains are anywhere but the present moment, but instead ruminating on the past or planning the future. When we aren't focused on the present, we are more prone to symptoms of depression and anxiety. Mindfulness helps us stay in the present and to just "be". What a freeing thing!

So next time you have your morning coffee, your afternoon refreshing drink, or even your evening glass of wine - give this a try! You might be surprise by how well this helps you stay in the moment and feel more at peace.

Start Psychotherapy in Hamilton, ON

Want to learn more about how to incorporate these strategies into your day to day life? As a therapist in Hamilton, I would be happy to meet with you and we can find ways to work towards improving your mental health together! Feel free to reach out and schedule a free 15min consultation with me and we can get started!