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For those who don't know what mindfulness is, it's paying attention to the moment, we're reducing our stress, learning to focus better, are more aware of our thoughts, by stopping what was in your past or what will be in your future. You're focusing on the here and now.
Before I continue, I admit I'm not bear and don't remember to be mindful when I need to be, it doesn't come naturally to me, but if I remember that I am a bear for a moment, especially when I'm stressed, it'll help me learn to have more mindfulness.
Now is the time to leave your human self behind and become a bear. I guess you can be any kind of bear you want, a black bear, grizzly bear, polar bear, panda, or even your own made-up species. It's time to embrace being a bear!
Bear Breathing Exercises
I can't take all of the credit for the idea of being a bear when it comes to mindfulness. I saw a kid's video on being a hibernating bear and learning bear breathing. It's what spawned my whole mindful bear mentality. If I can adapt these exercises into being a bear, it'll be easy for myself, other adults, and even children. Even if the concept does sound a bit silly.
Learning to have mindful breathing anchor yourself, and focus on your breathing, is an easy exercise to do when you're anywhere, even if you're not going to do the bear breathing exercises. It helps you relax, it helps you become aware of your body, and it helps you forget about your past or your present because we're all breathing now! Don't take my word for it, Berkely said the same thing!
Instead of talking about the bear technique myself. I have the exact video I got my whole bear well-being exercise from! The bear even has little eyelashes if you zoom in close enough! Here is the bear video!
For those who couldn't watch the bear video at the moment and want a little summary of what to do. We're going to imagine we are a bear waking up from a bit of hibernation. We're going to stretch like bears and humans do after a good long rest and then when we relax our arms we get to growl like a bear. That's if you want to growl you don't have to, but it does get you to focus your mind for a second and helps you breathe when you're panicking!
Learning to have mindful breathing anchor yourself, and focus on your breathing, is an easy exercise to do when you're anywhere, even if you're not going to do the bear breathing exercises. It helps you relax, it helps you become aware of your body, and it helps you forget about your past or your present because we're all breathing now! Don't take my word for it, Berkely said the same thing!
Instead of talking about the bear technique myself. I have the exact video I got my whole bear well-being exercise from! The bear even has little eyelashes if you zoom in close enough! Here is the bear video!
For those who couldn't watch the bear video at the moment and want a little summary of what to do. We're going to imagine we are a bear waking up from a bit of hibernation. We're going to stretch like bears and humans do after a good long rest and then when we relax our arms we get to growl like a bear. That's if you want to growl you don't have to, but it does get you to focus your mind for a second and helps you breathe when you're panicking!
The Bear Body Scan 3000 exercise
Being a bear does take a lot out of you, doesn't it? Wouldn't it be nice if had a way to scan your body after sleeping for so long? Scan the places that are sore and places that are a bit tight? Scanning your body can also help your human counterparts relax, by focusing on all parts of your body.
Because we're a bear and don't use human technology, we're going to scan our bodies ourselves, using our Bear Body Scan 3000, it's what all of the top-of-the-line bears have. Start with our paws, focusing on how they're still there and how they may be stiff, or sore, slowly moving up our body, and even making our way to our ears.
If you want a little help there's another children's video with a body scanner a little bit like yours. This one has a little human and not a bear! But that's okay. This will still work if you're confused!
Believe it or not, you can even eat mindfully when you're a bear! It serves as a great way to get to know your food better. You'll notice all of the wonderful foods you're eating, and when it's time for you to stop, as a bear who just crawled out from its cave, eating the wrong food could give you a stomachache.
Imagine finding an amazing patch of strawberries after your long nap. When you're eating, strawberries, focus on how they look, how they taste, and how they smell. It might be great to remember that next time you're on the hunt for strawberries. Of course, it's good to know when you're focusing on your eating, how many strawberries are too much.
Don't worry if there are other bears present, trying to talk to you. You can eat mindfully and focus on your food as well. If there are no other bears present, you'll remember to tell your story about your strawberry later.
If you're not sure what to write about, Happier Human, Silk and Sonder and Kim and Kalee have some great ideas for your journal. Just because the first site is called Happier Human, doesn't mean bears can't benefit from it. I myself even have books next to me to help me develop my thoughts for my mindful journal.
You're probably wondering how a journal could even help you, a bear waking up from your hibernation. The answer is pretty simple it helps us learn who we are, how our emotions work, and why we do what we do as a bear.
It's time to notice the good in someone or something that's happening. Be grateful for what is happening. If you've used any of the other exercises, you've taken time to think about things, in the here and now. Showing your gratitude for another bear (or human), makes you happy, it makes them happy and it helps improve your brain function.
At first, it might sound hard to find something to show your gratitude for, as long as you find gratitude in something small, and you know know how to look for gratitude, you'll soon see many times when you can offer your gratitude to others.
While the whole bear concept may be hard for everyone to understand, remembering to practice gratitude, writing a journal, focusing on breathing, or whatever mindfulness technique helped you relax is fine. You don't have to be a bear every day, just be mindful, and just because you're not able to be mindful every day, doesn't mean it's the end of the road. You can be mindful again tomorrow. Be kind to yourself, and those around you. You are worth it!
Because we're a bear and don't use human technology, we're going to scan our bodies ourselves, using our Bear Body Scan 3000, it's what all of the top-of-the-line bears have. Start with our paws, focusing on how they're still there and how they may be stiff, or sore, slowly moving up our body, and even making our way to our ears.
If you want a little help there's another children's video with a body scanner a little bit like yours. This one has a little human and not a bear! But that's okay. This will still work if you're confused!
Mindful bear walking
Just because the Bear Scan 3000 can scan our body for tightness, or relax us. A scan wouldn't show that we're able to walk, but focusing on walking will. Let's focus on our legs, which get us from point A to point B. Focus on how our feet work when we're walking. Moving up to our legs, and to our hips. Just a little short walk will be fine, but to be sure we have the hang of walking again, especially after sleeping, we should walk as much as we feel is comfortable. A little bit at a time is fine! Just be mindful when doing it.Please note: If you're still in human mode please and haven't been a bear yet, please note that mindful walking is a great form of exercise, it has physical benefits and can also relieve stress! As a human, you can focus on running away from all of the people who are mindful bears!
Time to eat Mindfully
Believe it or not, you can even eat mindfully when you're a bear! It serves as a great way to get to know your food better. You'll notice all of the wonderful foods you're eating, and when it's time for you to stop, as a bear who just crawled out from its cave, eating the wrong food could give you a stomachache.
Imagine finding an amazing patch of strawberries after your long nap. When you're eating, strawberries, focus on how they look, how they taste, and how they smell. It might be great to remember that next time you're on the hunt for strawberries. Of course, it's good to know when you're focusing on your eating, how many strawberries are too much.
Don't worry if there are other bears present, trying to talk to you. You can eat mindfully and focus on your food as well. If there are no other bears present, you'll remember to tell your story about your strawberry later.
Learning to write in a Bear Journal
All of these amazing experiences I've talked about and even thoughts that are running through your bear mind can go right into your very own bear journal. All you have to do is write about the here and now and you're ready to go. Just let your little bear mind go!If you're not sure what to write about, Happier Human, Silk and Sonder and Kim and Kalee have some great ideas for your journal. Just because the first site is called Happier Human, doesn't mean bears can't benefit from it. I myself even have books next to me to help me develop my thoughts for my mindful journal.
You're probably wondering how a journal could even help you, a bear waking up from your hibernation. The answer is pretty simple it helps us learn who we are, how our emotions work, and why we do what we do as a bear.
Practice some gratitude
It's time to notice the good in someone or something that's happening. Be grateful for what is happening. If you've used any of the other exercises, you've taken time to think about things, in the here and now. Showing your gratitude for another bear (or human), makes you happy, it makes them happy and it helps improve your brain function.
At first, it might sound hard to find something to show your gratitude for, as long as you find gratitude in something small, and you know know how to look for gratitude, you'll soon see many times when you can offer your gratitude to others.
Conclusion
While the whole bear concept may be hard for everyone to understand, remembering to practice gratitude, writing a journal, focusing on breathing, or whatever mindfulness technique helped you relax is fine. You don't have to be a bear every day, just be mindful, and just because you're not able to be mindful every day, doesn't mean it's the end of the road. You can be mindful again tomorrow. Be kind to yourself, and those around you. You are worth it!
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