Mindfulness and homesickness

The last two days I have felt pretty down. The days have started great as I love mornings, my new morning run routine and of course breakfast! Then as I don't have class on Wed and Thurs I spend up until lunch time trying to study Japanese. Soon after starting however I quickly feel overwhelmed by how much I don't know, and by noon am depressed and exhausted by the mental energy and persistance it requires to get through a few pages of text book questions. This had led me to over eat at lunch, feel horrible and unable to face the study desk once more, sleep all afternoon (I am not usually a day time sleeper!).

I then remembered this afternoon the link mum sent me for a seven week free streaming video event series on The Compassionate Brain. Basically, every week 60min long interviews of leading professors in pyschology and neuroscience are shared online. The interview content covers topics such as how our thoughts, feelings and meditation practices can create real changes in our brains, balancing compassion and assertiveness, cultivating forgiveness for others and self etc etc. It is all backed by scientific research so is pretty exciting I think.

To check it out for yourself go to http://live.soundstrue.com/compassionatebrain/ All it requires is an email address to register.  (I haven't gotten any junk mail from them since registering last week).

Today's lecture was with Dr. Dan Siegel on Mindfulness, a practise I think could be useful to me for anxiety, stress, attitude towards food and eating etc. Anyway, it led me to his website where I stumbled across this great resource called "The Healthy Mind Platter".   Basically it outlines the seven daily essentail activities for optimimal brain matter and well being:D Who wouldn't want some more of that right? I'd like to take the chance to use this space to record how I incorporate these activities into my daily life.

Focus time - JLPT study, childrens english class, uni class work

Play time - Enjoying a midday drama, cooking, flicking through favourite blogs and pinterest

Connecting time - talking to people at uni, chatting with host mother with a cup of tea, or phonecall

Physical time - running, strength training, stretching

Time in - a 10-20 min meditation/self awareness activity each morning or night oron train to uni

Down time - cup of tea in bed, completely relax while on the 50 min train

Sleep time- sleep!

I hope to use ideas from this interview series and strategies like "The Healthy Mind Platter" to keep negative energy and homesickness at bay. Only a month til Scott visits and then another two months after than until I'm back in Australia.



1. Focus time