Simple Mindfulness Habits for Internationals
Welcome to the Netherlands! You just moved here and you’re still working on getting settled in (hello BSN number, Gemeete registration, IND meetings, setting up a bank account etc). Or, perhaps, you’ve been living here for some time and you’ve got a visa renewal to manage, or an inburgering exam to worry about. Maybe even graduation is coming up and you have to jump into the job search, which as an international, can be beyond intimidating. What do all of these things have in common? You guessed it - constant stress about the future.
As internationals, there is ALWAYS something to have to think about from integration, to imposter syndrome, to visas to studying/working - the list goes on and on. Oftentimes we think that if we just get through the next hurdle then we can relax… but where’s the finish line?
We live so much in the future, we forget what truly is happening with us in the moment. At the end of the day, we are still human. Humans need rest (check out my other blog post about this exact thing). But let’s get more specific here about what mindfulness can do for us. I’m sure you’ve heard about mindfulness before, but let’s take a moment to understand how important it really is.
Mindfulness is being aware, moment-by-moment, of our current thoughts, feelings, environment and emotions through the lens of understanding, compassion and acceptance.
Being mindful means we are fully acknowledging what’s going on within us and around us without passing judgement. It allows us to slow down, pause and check-in with ourselves. It is incredibly important for emotional processing and awareness which helps us manage our day to day life and the thoughts/feelings that go along with it. We often are thinking and feeling 10 steps ahead which, if done for long enough, can make us feel disconnected from who we are and what we are truly feeling in the moment. We tend to push our current feelings aside, or not even acknowledge them, to think about the future (or the past). This can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, distrust with yourself, self-doubt, overthinking, panic, and more mental health concerns. Essentially, we need to LISTEN to ourselves, rather than push our present experiences to the side. Now, mindfulness is a skill you need to practice. It may take speaking with a therapist to guide you through it.
That being said, let me give you 5 examples of mindfulness practices that you can try at home (or on your way to your Dutch class):
1) 5-4-3-2-1 Senses Technique: Use your 5 senses to ground yourself in the moment. Find 5 things in front of you that you can see (laptop, the sky, a book, a tree etc.) Find 4 things near you that you can touch (a blanket, your clothes, a glass of water/tea etc.) Find 3 things that you can hear (traffic, birds, the hum of your heater etc.) Find 2 things that you can smell (a candle, perfume, food etc.) Find 1 thing that you can taste (coffee, mouthwash, piece of gum ect.)
2) Labeling Technique: Walk around your room and start labeling things around you. If you aren’t home, try to recall what you have in your room. Identify what objects are lying around and see if you can name each and every thing.
3) Opposite Action Technique: If you are sitting, stand up. If you are standing, sit down. This helps remind you that you are in control.
4) Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Either sitting up or laying down, start flexing and relaxing each body part, starting at your feet. Clench your feet as hard as you can while inhaling and then relax them with an exhale. Continue working your way up your body, slowly, clenching and releasing with deep breaths.
5) Box Breathing: Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds and pause for 4 seconds. Repeat as needed.
Remember that it may take repeating these techniques multiple times for you to start feeling the effects. If you’re struggling to stay focused, remind yourself that it’s ok to be distracted because you can just refocus no matter how many times it happens. Mindfulness is a judgement-free space, so do your best to avoid self-critique as you practice these skills.
The beauty of mindfulness is that you can do it anywhere. Incorporating it into your daily routine can be hugely beneficial for your mental health. Maybe try adding a technique or two before bed, or just when you wake up. Give a few techniques a try and see which one feels best for you. As always, talking to a therapist/mental health counselor is a great way to get started as they can help discuss mindfulness with you and help you throughout the process.
I’ll leave you with this: Incorporating mindfulness is one of the best things you can do for your mental health and a true act of self-care. Internationals deal with enough - try to make it easier on yourself.
