Mindfulness without sitting still

There is a belief in practitioners of mindfulness that it requires a person to sit still, clear their mind, and say stupid things like “ooooohmmmm”.

As someone with ADHD, that sounds like they’re selling snake oil.

One of my strengths as an ADHD and autism specialist is that I look at everything available out there, and then work to adapt it into something a busy adult with ADHD can and might just do. As such, I want to introduce you to my take on mindfulness and how those of us with ADHD can incorporate it into our lives.

Before we get too far in, I want to outline the ADHD problems around traditional mindfulness.

• Sitting still is hard. Sitting still for any amount of time is harder.
• Clearing our minds can be an exercise in futility.
• We have so much competition for our attention that focus is hard work.

#adhdtips

Here’s how we can make this work.

First, you have permission to stand, walk, dance, or balance upside down on one arm while levitation three rocks and a droid.

Second, please don’t even try to clear your mind. Allow whatever comes in to bounce around once, and then bounce right on out.

Third, I want you to think about one part of your body. Your right hand, left eyebrow, or that spot on your ankles that gets dry and crusty no matter how much lotion you slather on it. How does that sole part of your body feel right now? I know. You’ve never thought about how your left eyebrow feels.

If you’re outside, let the environment guide your thoughts. A cool breeze. Warm sun on your skin. The cold sting of a snowflake landing on your cheek. The blare of a car horn as you mindlessly cross the street. Take a deep breath in through your nose and feel your chest expand. Feel the soles of your feet with each step.

The entire focus of this exercise is to experience how you are right now. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Yesterday doesn’t matter. It’s all about you taking that deep breath in through your nose and feeling your chest rise.

There. You’re done. No sitting still with cramped legs. No stupid sounds to make. Try it twice a day and see what it can do for you.