5 mindful tips

Here are helpful tools from mindfulness expert Julie Potiker to process and cope with grief:

1. Try 10 or 20 minutes of meditation twice a day if you can make time. Look for guided meditations on apps or podcasts.

2. We are wired to connect, and it feels supportive when we share burdens. I attended a rally against hate after the horrendous events in Charlottesville, Virginia. I knew being there would not make any difference. Emotionally, it was what I needed to feel.

3. Take self-compassion breaks: Place your hand on your heart or where you find it soothing. Say, “This is a moment of suffering; this is hard.” Then connect to the multitudes of humanity also suffering, knowing you are not alone. Now, tell yourself something helpful. I tend to say, “You’re going to be OK.”

4. Ground yourself through the soles of your feet. Put your feet on the ground and send your attention to the soles of your feet. How do they feel? Are you in socks and shoes? Barefoot? Cold or warm? Moist or dry? This act breaks the discursive loop of thoughts and emotions.

5. Great health benefits are in nature. While there, feel the temperature and the breeze where it touches your skin. Notice smells and see details: leaves, flowers, bees, etc. If you are walking, notice how your feet feel, your legs, your arms swinging at your sides. While sensing these sensations, you are not ruminating.

Julie Potiker also is an attorney and author. Visit mindfulmethodsforlife.com for more information. Used with permission.