mindfulness based stress reduction

Pressure to be Present

Pause for a moment. Allow yourself time to take a deep breath. Look around. Soak in the sensations of the moment. Notice thoughts and worries racing through your head.

It appears more and more common knowledge that being present is vital to our mental health and well-being. The trouble with us humans is that we have all these pesky “unwanted” thoughts. While being present is beneficial, it bothers me to think of thoughts as unwanted. Those thoughts we try to push away to be ever-present are, in part, what makes us who we are. Those worries and concerns for our lives are perhaps proof of our sanity.

At 97 my grandma has developed dementia enough that she can’t live on her own. She has good days and bad. The decline is not linear. I am not attempting to put a positive spin on dementia, but I am trying to see the positives in a sad and trying situation. My Grandma still remembers us. That may not last forever. Her dementia hasn’t made her agitated. It’s estimated that 90% of dementia patients experience aggression, agitation, and depression. She shows minimal signs of irritability. In her confusion, she looks more childlike.

Pressure to be PresentMaggie Downie2024-01-11T12:54:07-05:00

IMSAFE

IMSAFE is a mnemonic device for pilots to check in with their own well being before they fly. It stands for Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotion. As passengers when we fly, most of us are aware there is a flight check to determine whether the plane is safe. I’d never realized there is a protocol (at least for private pilots) to check in with themselves.

IMSAFE Meaning

The breakdown might seem obvious, but illness looks to see if you feel sick, medication ensures you have taken any prescription meds you need and that you haven’t taken any pills you shouldn’t before flying, stress asks pilots to assess whether they are overwhelmed by life let alone flying, alcohol is a reminder to make sure you’ve had none in at least 8 hours, fatigue makes you review your sleep, and emotion requires the pilot to once again (like stress) check in with her mental state. (In the navy E stands for Eat—whether or not you’ve eaten recently).

Food matters. Amelia Earhart mentioned a pilot needed to be fed enough to “prevent fatigue but not enough to induce drowsiness”—a difficult balance to achieve because you […]

IMSAFEMaggie Downie2020-07-23T16:00:36-04:00

Thinking About Stress Differently

Throughout this year, I’ve been working on slowing down. In the midst of this holiday season, it doesn’t feel like I’m achieving that goal, but I have caught myself thinking about stressors a little differently. The poor little Fit. Not feeling so euphoric today.

A few weeks ago my car go rear ended. While I wait for it to be fixed, I’ve driven a rental, used Matt’s car, and borrowed a car from a friend. Each of these cars is a little different. The gas tank is on a different side, the way you open the tank changes, how you unlock or lock the cars is all unique. Everything from the lights to the windshield wipers to whether or not there is an ice scraper nearby is different in each and every vehicle. And the trouble is I notice the difference when I’m in a rush. Heading out for class, there’s a frost, and I can’t find the scraper. Have my arms filled with stuff and realize the car I have today needs you to hold the […]

Thinking About Stress DifferentlyMaggie Downie2017-12-29T19:30:50-05:00

On Death & Mourning: A Little Comfort

Not our typical blog, but if it helps you feel better, it helps you move better.

I went to a funeral the other day. The role of the priest, minister or rabbi is always a tough one when someone dies. They have to console the inconsolable. The priest at this funeral wasn’t great. He kept insisting that the dead person was just sleeping, and that it would be accurate to tell kids the dead are merely sleeping. As a child that would have terrified me. I’d never go to bed again.

But then he said something that filled me with happiness. Ultimately, his words were not overly profound, but I’d never had someone put death quite this way. Full disclosure: I’m not religious or spiritual—a fact people are often surprised to learn. I don’t have that gene. But like Mark Twain, I appreciate people who do. There are moments I wish I could believe in something to experience a glimpse of comfort when tormented by grief, but more often than not I’m happy believing in the fallibility of science.

I’ve heard many people say we should be comforted to know that when we die we will be reunited with the person whose life […]

On Death & Mourning: A Little ComfortMaggie Downie2017-10-25T14:26:32-04:00