At MMW, we strongly believe that mental health is dynamic, not static. Each and every one of us requires daily reinforcement of mindful, joyful, and healthy habits to maintain a good mental wellbeing.
However, these daily habits do not need to take too much of our time to be effective. Therefore, in true “progress over perfection” fashion, we chose “10-minute Rituals” as the mental health activity of the month. In February, we will focus on creating and committing to a quick daily ritual for ourselves.
The entire MMW team is partaking in this month’s activity as your accountability buddies. Read their 10-minute rituals below to find some inspiration!
Sofia:
I have a long commute to work every day and it used to make me feel it was a waste of time. Until I decided to utilize that time for something constructive. I've started practicing meditation for 5-10 minutes a day and the fact that I could stop my mind even for a minute was a revelation! So in February I will try my best to practice meditation daily.
Ana:
My ritual for February is a 10-20 minute yoga exercise every morning before work. I embarked on this journey since the beginning of the year thinking that I want to learn more about the connections between the brain and the body. The aim is to understand myself better through the exploration of moving my body. I think it will help me not only with that but also will create a routine for self-care and help me start my day on a positive, more grounded note.
Chiara: I have chosen to take a 10 minute walk to a close by park without my cellphone but with a notebook, so that I could connect with myself and nature while I reflect on the small steps I do every day and keep it in my notebook.
Dimitra:
My 10 minute ritual is my morning coffee. I try to take the time while the kettle is boiling and when the coffee is brewing to take a deep breath and repeat some of my empowerment quotes. Sometimes I like to take that time to do some stretching while standing as well. It helps me to have a easy start for the day and ground myself. A part of the ritual is also the first sip of coffee where I feel it warming me up and energizing me at the same time.
Imad:
My 10 minute ritual is synchronizing coffee time with sunset. I try and make the coffee myself to exercise control and bring a little mindfulness into my routine. Frothing the coffee is a small meditative act by itself! And sunsets are a reminder for me to unwind and slow down, there's beauty in the process of observation. It grounds me to the present.
Miriam:
My 10 minute ritual for February is to do some gentle mindful yoga and stretching exercises in the mornings to make sure I don't develop more backpain from working from the home office with bad posture.
Nour: I’ve had sleeping problems since 2019 and they got worse with the whole pandemic situation. So for my daily ritual I will be reading the Quran and take 10 deep breaths before going to bed. I would also include chamomile tea at times for my night time ritual if I’m really struggling.
Okenla: I will be visiting a waterfront on my campus while listening to calming, wavy music. It's just fascinating staring at the never-ending horizon of the lagoon with vehicles commuting on the bridge in the distance.
Carla:
It might look simple but I decided to commit a while ago to a 5 minute breathwork: 5 minutes right after waking up and 5 minutes before bed. Really focusing on deep belly breaths for 5 to 10 minutes a day to stabilize your nervous system. This sends the message ‘’everything is fine and safe’' to our brains.