Take Notice | Me Aro Tonu
A fresh week, blank slate and a new beginning. Let's start the week by setting purpose and intention, today is the day to take stock – how have you been feeling recently, are there any events or stresses that you need to sit with and unpack?
Developing the ability to be fully present and conscious without being overly reactive or overwhelmed is no easy feat, it takes practice to achieve the delicate balance of awareness. When we take notice or practice mindfulness, we’re creating space for ourselves—space to think, space to breathe, space between ourselves and our reactions.
Use today as a reminder to pay more attention to the present moment, to our thoughts and feelings, and to the world around us. At the end of the week, you can reflect on how you felt at the start of the week, and how putting each of the Five Ways into practice has helped to boost your mental health.
A few ideas to help you take notice:
- Take some time to really notice the emotions you’re feeling – consider jotting down your whakaaro/thoughts to get clarity on what you want to achieve for the week.
- Unplug for a few hours – sign out of social media or turn off your device notifications. Take this time to tune into yourself, pay attention to physical sensations, your feelings and what’s happening around you.
- If you have work meetings today, begin with a karakia/prayer or short reflection (eg. an inspiring quote) followed by a brief silent period, allowing your hoamahi to breathe mindfully and bring their full attention into the room. End in a similar fashion.
- Get out of your usual environment during your lunch break. Go for a walk to a nearby park or tātahi/beach and listen to the sweet sounds of the manu/birds. Notice how taking a quiet moment for yourself makes you feel.
- Head along to a yoga class or find a free online video to follow at home.
- Take a moment for your wairua by trying these mindful breathing exercises.
- Tamariki can try this ‘How Am I Doing?’ activity by Sparklers to encourage them to think about how they can support their own wellbeing. They might also like to try the Favourite Spaces activity to take notice of their surroundings and how they make them feel.
- Plan to look up at the night sky to observe the marama/moon and the whetū/stars. Refer to the Māori maramataka/lunar calendar to learn about the phases of the moon.
- Head out for a mindful hīkoi/walk after mahi/work or kura/school. While you’re out, watch the sunset and take notice of the vibrant colours as the sun sets on the first day of the week.
