Unique advice provided by country’s leading mindfulness experts
Reaching for that third cup of coffee and it’s only 9am? Stressing over deadlines, or mindlessly scrolling your way through the day? We constantly hear about the importance of our mental health, but we rarely take a minute to ourselves to switch off. One thing’s for sure, we could all do with a little more mindfulness in our lives.
That’s why flower brand, Interflora, has teamed up with a host of experts to offer expertly designed ways to help you take some time out from busy schedules, everyday worries, and even social media, to just be in the now.
From meditation to gardening, Interflora has put together a whole bunch of fresh ideas to promote everyday mindfulness, using the healing properties of flowers and nature, and focusing on the beauty in the everyday – helping to reduce stress, improve happiness, and maybe even find yourself needing one less cup of coffee! All the advice appears exclusively on Interflora’s IGTV as a series of videos.
Speaking about the campaign, Helen Sharpe at Interflora, said: “Interflora’s #Mindfloral campaign has been crafted to really make a difference in peoples’ lives, focusing on how we can achieve a state of mindfulness through being in the now, getting rid of those everyday distractions, and taking a little more ‘me’ time.
“Each video offers practical tips and techniques to help people to connect with their natural state of being and the world around them. From focusing on the rising and falling sensations as we breathe, or the soft texture of soil whilst gardening, the videos encourage us to look at life a little differently, and to notice the reality in front of us.”
So, what are some of the ways we can incorporate flowers and nature into our everyday lives to make us more mindful? Here’s some top tips from our experts.
- Embrace the calming impact of house plants. It’s no secret that plants have numerous health benefits and these are well-documented when it comes to the ones we eat. But did you know, just by having plants in your home they can help improve your health? Certain indoor plants help to improve the air quality, as well as helping your blood pressure and heart rate. Plants also help to reduce stress and the act of tending to plants can be a perfect way to practice mindfulness. Having beautiful cut blooms around the house can also aid your mood – choose calming blue and purple hues, known for soothing the mind; you could even add some Eucalyptus to stimulate the immune system.
- Gardening therapy is a growing trend for improving well-being. Nurturing plants is known to have a calming effect on our minds and bodies, and being wholly absorbed in an activity – taking in the immediacy of our environment – can help us to remove ourselves from the frenetic noise of a fast-moving world. It’s like nurturing yourself, and going out and tending to plants is a really effective way to be mindful, while walking barefoot through a garden can be a unique way to connect with nature and the earth.
- The nutrition of nature. Food is a lot more than just what we eat to satisfy our appetite – we can boost our health and wellbeing by incorporating nature into our diets too. Micro nutrients, e.g. vitamins and minerals, are where a lot of our antioxidants are found, and many of these can be found by foraging in nature and even in our gardens. Take dandelions; the root is often used as a diuretic in tea. Meanwhile, dried rose petals can add a touch of sophistication to a summer BBQ by popping them in a glass of Prosecco. Or elderflower, the ultimate summer drinks mixer, is also very immune-supportive. So, whether you have them growing in your garden, or you’ll be foraging, including these parts of nature in your diet can help you become more mindful.
- Garden Yoga. Connecting our body and mind through yoga can help us experience being present in the moment. Being in the present of ‘what is’ often means we’ll receive so much more from the experience of the moment, and perhaps open ourselves up to new possibilities and better see the beauty around us. Practicing yoga in nature is the perfect complement to this; consider using the grass rather than a mat to connect with the earth and your surroundings.
- Flower arranging for mindfulness. We conducted some research with SANE, a leading mental health charity, and found that Brits are stressed; with nearly a quarter of those surveyed admitting to feeling stressed more than once a day. People listed listening to the rain, getting into pyjamas after a long day and being in nature as things they find the most relaxing, but another well-known way to relax, that’s both simple and rewarding, is flower arranging. Taking a few moments to yourself is important, and your blooms of choice can also help; calming blue and purple stems can alleviate stress and anxiety, and promote creativity. Lilac roses, purple freesia and purple lisianthus; all colours which can help with depression, calming the mind and soothing mental illness and nervous disorders. Meanwhile, lavender is known for reducing anxiety and stress, and the calming eucalyptus stimulates the immune system and clarifies the mind.
Head to the Interflora Instagram TV Channel each Monday to see the latest #Mindfloral tips, or for more information on the campaign visit: https://www.interflora.co.uk/blog/mindfloral/. Advice is provided by the likes of Yoga expert Emily Clare Hill, allotment influencer Kirsty Ward, and nutritionist Amanda Ashy Boyd.
