Autumn is arriving quick here in the UK

Hello & welcome to the Paws4Minds Blog.

The weather has certainly started to change to one of an Autumnal feel.

I personally like Autumn, i like the fresher air, the reduced humidity. Its certainly more enjoyable to walk Noodle. I noticed he sniffs around trees much more & I let him take his time as that is like the internet to dogs, in terms of how they communicate.

For some though the move towards Winter may not have such a happy feel. The nights are drawing in and daylight hours are reducing. Rain is much more frequent in the UK, even more noticeable as many areas are in drought and have water usage restrictions in place, after a very dry Spring & Summer. It all doesn't need to be negative.

Autumn is a great time for mindfulness activities and techniques. These can help you to be in the present moment of time & not thinking about the past or future.

The sky is a great place to help with mindfulness. Look up during the day and see what types of clouds are in the sky. Are they bubbly, fluffy clouds, that look like they are out of a cartoon? Or are they thin, streaky, spread across the bright blue sky? Are the clouds high up into space or are they lower enough that they seem like you could jump up & touch them?

Take a look up at the sky, what can you see, what is happening?

What colours are the clouds, are they bright white, dull grew or a dark purple/black colour that almost look angry? Are they tinged with yellows, orange or red from the sun rays?

Can you see any shapes or figures made from the clouds, maybe you can see a shape of an animal, creature or an object.

When you walk along, have you noticed the trees. The leaves are changing colour from the various shades of green to yellows, browns & reds, with many starting to fall, especially with the winds that we are experiencing.

As you look at the trees, have you noticed the colour of the leaves?

If you have a local park or woodland, try to look up. Experience the different effects the sun light has on the leaves, the tones it creates.

Do you ever notice the different natural light within woodlands or parks?

What birds can you hear, are their other noises you have noticed?

Doing like the above can certainly add to the experience of that moment of time. It enables us to be part of what is happening around us. It can help reduce our stress levels and increase our mood.

Mindfulness doesn't need to be complicated & often it can be free and something you can do on your own or with other people too. What noises can you hear, what smells are in the air around you, what are people doing or what is happening around you? It can be done in the day or during the night.

In busy cities you can take time to notice, what is going on around you

By doing this you are using & connecting with your senses. Maybe this is something us humans don't do enough of & we forget about these most basic, natural but power tools we have in our grasp.

Mindfulness helps to take us away from the issues or problems we maybe experiencing, helping us to maybe react or reflect differently. it can be so enjoyable & relaxing, helping to bring calm and peace to our minds.

You can experience mindfulness anywhere. You can do it in a busy city centre, from an office window or even on a commute home from work, it can be done anyway you want & even be your own little secret