3 Ways To Relax Mindfully, That Aren’t Meditation

If you’ve ever looked up ways to relax, you’ve probably come across a common theme—that the primary advice is to take up meditation. Meditation is—as they say—absolutely something everyone can (and should!) do, and in my experience, the increased mindfulness (awareness of the present moment) that comes with it is a lesson we can ALL benefit from. But there are many ways to practice mindfulness. And we should all have many ways to relax in our self care toolkit, especially those of us prone to stress, anxiety and/or depression. After all, our emotions and experiences are vast—our methods for recovery should be too.

Whether you have tried meditation and are looking for other ways to achieve zen status, or you still finding it a little intimidating and would like to ease your way in—these are some of my other favorite ways to relax. They put me in a meditative state—one where I’m focused on the present moment and not dwelling on worries or the general heaviness of the world. They also make me feel accomplished, because I recognize afterward that I did something just for me—which is huge for an anxious person. Hope they work for you, too!

3 ways to relax mindfully that aren’t meditation

1. Coloring

Okay, hear me out. You either LOVE coloring/drawing/doodling, or you haven’t touched a pencil since high school. And you know what? It doesn’t matter! You can still find relaxation and mindfulness by coloring. The trick with doing something creative like this for relaxation is to LET GO of expectations—which I know, can be hard. Let go of the idea that you need a goal, or that you need to “finish” something. Just color. If you’re not sure what to draw, try an adult (or kids—honestly the adult ones can be too complex when you want to relax!) coloring book. Or draw something simple like flowers or shapes, and fill them in as you please. My favorite part is the color itself—sometimes I don’t draw anything, I just blend colors or write quotes. It’s nice!

2. Puzzles

You know we are forever fans of puzzles over here! Puzzles really blew up during the pandemic, but they’ve always been a go-to self care activity for us. I have always had trouble relaxing. I just feel like I have to be doing something at all times. And of course, that’s exhausting. Puzzles are the perfect activity. I feel like I’m “doing” something, but really that’s just focusing on the present moment—the task at hand. And of course, the task isn’t super hard—just enough to keep me hooked! I’m not sure about everyone, but I think particularly if you have anxiety, activities like coloring and puzzles give us something to focus on when we have too much trouble quieting the noise in our heads.

3. Cook or bake – in no hurry

Time in the kitchen can be stressful for some, or at least, feel like a chore. We are usually trying to get in and out (and fed) as fast as we can. Everything is timed, and we’re doing five other things while the timer’s ticking. Instead, take time to make your meal—and make one that isn’t over-ambitious for your skill level, you want it to be a good experience—and focus on every step of the way. Enjoy the process; don’t rush it. Then, when it comes time to enjoy your meal, sit down and eat it without looking at your phone or watching TV—just enjoying the taste, and how it makes you feel. For the next two hours afterward, tune in with yourself to continue noticing how you feel. Ideally the meals we eat always make us feel better, not worse, but that is (oh so often) not the case. Every time I make myself a meal that’s tasty AND makes me feel good, I feel so excited! Cooking is a major challenge for me but taking it slow helps me learn—and relax in the process.

What is your favorite mindful way to relax? To read more thoughts on self care, start here.