Written By: Stacey McDonald- Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

When you live with chronic pain, it can be difficult to find yourself in the present moment. However, being present and mindful can be immensely helpful in managing your mental health and even your experience of certain chronic pain and illness related symptoms. Now, before you roll your eyes and think I am going to recommend meditation apps and singing bowl retreats (if these work for you, amazing!), I understand that mindfulness when you live with chronic conditions can be a tad more complicated than what we so often hear pushed in the media today.

Don’t Write off Mindfulness Just Yet!

When you live with chronic conditions, it can be incredibly difficult, and unsafe to be “too present” mainly due to the focus that the present places on the body and what you are feeling. For example, many of us will have had doctors or therapists recommend various body-focused techniques such as body scanning or progressive muscle relaxation. While these are powerful and highly effective tools for a lot of people, many of us with chronic conditions end up feeling worse when attention is drawn to our bodies in such a focused and intentional way.

For instance, progressive muscle relaxation involves focusing on tensing and then releasing the muscles in each muscle group. This is often a slow process that moves up or down the body tensing and relaxing each area as you go along (forearms, thighs, feet, etc). When you live with chronic pain, this tensing and relaxing of muscle groups may, instead of providing relief from tension, draw focus to areas of your body that are experiencing pain that you may not have previously noticed, or may make you focus too much on sensations resulting in greater symptoms and anxiety. Despite this, mindfulness is a tool that we should all have in our mental health toolkit. It’s just a matter of finding something that works for you and when you live with chronic conditions, this can mean getting a little creative.

Finding Mindful Hobbies and Activities

While they may not seem like the usual “mindfulness practice,” the following list of hobbies and activities create space for being in the present without centering on the body. It’s important to note that not every activity will be for everyone, it’s a matter of trying new things and finding something that works for you and your needs.

Baking & Cooking

While baking and cooking may seem more like chores to some, it is an inherent mindful practice. Have you ever tried cooking dinner while being distracted by your toddler, to-do list, or the dishes? Typically, that doesn’t end well. The process of baking and cooking naturally requires you to focus your attention on the present - measuring out ingredients, cutting vegetables, keeping track of cooking times. These are all quite difficult to do, or at least do well, when we shift our attention to something else.

What makes baking a great activity for those that live with chronic conditions, is that this mindful practice involves the use of the body, without focusing on the body. That’s to say, your body is working for you and with you to create something, and this is an experience of the body that many with chronic conditions have far too infrequently. The best part? The end result is something delicious!

Binaural Beats

If you’re like me, meditation is a no-go. No matter how many apps tell me to picture my thoughts as cars passing by, I just cannot get myself into the right headspace to meditate. A great alternative to these types of meditation are binaural beats. Binaural beats happen when two tones are played one in each ear at slightly different frequencies. The effects have been shown to result in similar brain wave patterns and effects as you would experience with meditation.

All you need to try out binaural beats are a pair of headphones or earbuds (this is essential for getting the effect of one tone in each ear) and a playlist (I’ve linked one below but you can find tons on spotify, youtube, etc). Similar to meditation, effects are most notable when you make this practice a part of your daily routine - about 15-30 minutes per day. You can even combine this practice with others on this list!

Vision Boards

Most of us think of vision boards as something similar to pinterest boards with wedding ideas, house dreams, etc. However, vision boards can actually be effective in illuminating and planning goals, especially when goals need to change or shift after a diagnosis. What makes vision boards mindful, is that they allow for the bridging of future goals and reality. This process of creating a vision board, defining or redefining goals requires you to focus on the present to assess what is needed for you to get from here to there, and the reality of your chosen vision.

Vision boards can be made the old-fashioned way with magazine cuttings, printouts, stickers, etc or by using digital tools like canva or pinterest. Find a goal, or something you want to envision that will help you in your understanding of your life post-diagnosis. For example, if you are having a medical procedure, create a vision board of what healing will look like (pictures of lots of restful activities like watching TV and naps and moving into things like short walks outside, etc.) This helps move your internal mental maps that can be overwhelming into visual, and more tangible goals. You can read more on these below.

Walking (or Spending Time Outdoors)

Walking, or spending time outdoors however you are able, can seem simple but can be an incredibly effective and low-commitment way to practice mindfulness. When you’re out walking or enjoying nature, pay attention to your surroundings. What do you hear? Birds, bees, wind blowing leaves. What do you notice? A beautiful flower growing in an unconventional place or a beautiful sunset. While it’s easier said that done, try not to get too lost in your thoughts. If you find this difficult, incorporate binaural beats to help you relax and focus on enjoying your time outside.

Photography

Photography makes you stop and take in the present because you’re focusing your attention on capturing that specific moment in time. If you’re new to photography, a great way to practice this intentionality and focus is by buying a disposable film camera. With limited shots, no technology to perfect your image for you, you’ll naturally slow down and take in what you’re hoping to capture. Combine this with walking or even running errands, and challenge yourself to pay attention to your surroundings and find something beautiful, inspiring, unique, or weird to take a photo of, inviting you to slow down and enjoy the present even if it’s just a few minutes a day. As an added bonus you can create a photo album or use these images for your vision board!

Resources:

Mindful baking: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/mindful-baking Binaural Beats: https://www.healthline.com/health/binaural-beats#potential-benefits

Binaural Beats Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWSrtCzTmPimJ?si=bd98d796ed334626

Vision Boards: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ibuprofen-for-the-mind/202306/visualizing-pain-free-the-clinical-use-of-vision-boards?em

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