Wellbeing Wednesdays week three – taking notice

As we approach the final days of lockdown 2.0, Wellbeing Wednesdays is focusing on ‘taking notice’.

What does it mean to take notice?

Taking notice means actively bringing our mind’s attention to the world around us and ourselves; what is going on externally to us and what is happening to us?

Taking notice is being present in the moment; being aware of our thoughts and feelings as they arise, without getting lost in them.

Taking notice what is happening in the here and now improves your wellbeing, and savouring the moment helps us take stock of our priorities.

Take some time to enjoy the moment and environment around you.  Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons.

Savour the moment, whether you are walking for exercise, eating lunch or talking to friends. Take notice of their feelings and mood. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

Watch this short video, which shows how to take notice and the benefits we can get from it.

Take Notice- 5 Ways to Wellbeing – YouTube 

How do you take notice?

Take a minute, take a few deep breaths and think about how you take notice.

Below is how some of our members have been taking notice lately:

“On my regular dog walks I have taken care to notice more bird species, more plants species and more cloud shapes, to feel of the wind, take in the colours of the leaves and the intensity of the rain.

When eating and drinking I have slowed down and savoured the taste and texture of food and drink. It’s such a change from wolfing down food to get to the gym on time!” – East Midlands Coach

“I’ve been checking in with mates, taking the time to make proper phone calls and facetimes, not just texting. I’ve come off social media for a bit, that’s really helped my mental health.” – Charlie Bryant, Boxer, Islington Boxing Club

“The biggest part of my changed concept of taking notice has been around supporting family and friends who I’ve observed to be struggling with things of late.

“My mother passed away just under a year ago and my sister and I were with her at home when she passed away.  It was a horrible day for the family and as you can imagine it’s been strange ever since.

“I try to take more notice of how I feel myself, about that day and, in turn, due to my sister being there at the same time and going through the same thing, I appear to have a more heightened awareness of her feelings and emotions.

I’ve also found myself being more appreciative of people around me, for example taking more notice of the many things that my girlfriend Charlotte does to make me happy and help in our relationship and home.” Phil Wilson, Coach, Kings Heath Boxing Club

Ways to take notice

We have put together a few ideas for you, to try to help you take notice:

Take a breath

With this exercise, courtesy of mental health charity, Mind.

Music

Put on some music that makes you feel happy. Spend some time without doing anything else. Notice what happens, using this song for a start Beach Boys – Wouldn’t It Be Nice – YouTube

• Did it feel different just to focus on this activity?
• Did the music bring back any memories?
• How do you feel now, afterwards?

Be GLAD

Take a few moments to write down or think about what made you G.L.A.D today:

G: Something you were Grateful for

L: Something you have Learned

A: One small Accomplishment you did

D: Something that brought you Delight

Spend time in nature

Spending time in a park, garden or other outdoor space will help you relax. Use your five senses, sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste, to take notice and appreciate your surroundings.

Tree in 4 Seasons | spring, summer, autumn, winter – Bing video

Remember: be kind, stay safe and take a moment to notice what is around you.

Share your ideas and experiences

We want you to share your ideas and stories with us too. Please email your stories, ideas, videos and photos to boxinmind@englandboxing.org, or share on your social media using the hash tag #EBwellbeingwednesdays

Find out more

You can discover more by going to the England Boxing Mental Health website page.