🧘♀️ Finding Calm in Chaos: The Power of Mindful Moments for Everyday Wellness
- Jade Twombly, NTP
- Jun 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 29
In our fast-paced world, where to-do lists never end and distractions are everywhere, finding moments of calm can feel nearly impossible. But what if the path to better health, mental clarity, and stress relief didn’t require more effort, but less?
Let's explore the power of mindful moments—tiny, intentional pauses in your day that help you reconnect with your body, your breath, and your sense of self.
🌿 What Are Mindful Moments?
Mindfulness is often misunderstood as something that requires long meditation sessions or complete lifestyle changes. But in reality, it’s much simpler—and more accessible.
“Mindful moments are small pauses that help you feel calm, grounded, and connected to your body—without needing to overhaul your life.” – Jade Twombly, Move Grow Rise Podcast
These moments are about being present without judgment. Whether it’s feeling the sun on your face, taking three deep breaths before a meal, or simply noticing the taste of your morning tea, these mini pauses are scientifically proven to reduce stress and support your nervous system.
🧠 The Science Behind Mindful Living
Modern life overstimulates the brain. We’re exposed to more information in a single day than our ancestors experienced in a year. This constant input activates your default mode network, a part of the brain that loops on worries and to-dos, increasing anxiety.
Research shows that:
We make over 35,000 decisions a day, which leads to decision fatigue.
People spend almost half their waking time thinking about something other than what they’re doing, which contributes to unhappiness.
Chronic stress keeps your vagus nerve offline, disrupting digestion, sleep, and hormone regulation.
Mindfulness helps reset your system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is all about relaxing, resting, and digesting. Practicing small, intentional actions throughout the day can rewire your brain toward calm, improving both mental health and physical well-being.
🌸 Micro Mindful Habits You Can Start Today
Here are four simple, research-backed techniques to bring more mindfulness into your daily life—without overhauling your routine.
1. ✨ Mindful Breathing
Try box breathing: inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4.
➡ Activates your parasympathetic nervous system
➡ Supports digestion when done before meals
➡ Reduces stress and anxiety in just minutes
2. 🥗 Mindful Eating
Oftentimes we are eating in a rush, on the go, or while we are consuming content (podcast, social media, TV). Try these strategies to bring presents back to your plate, improve digestion, help recognize fullness cues, and reduce emotional eating
➡ Put your fork down between bites
➡ Say thank you for your meal in your head while chewing
➡Chew each bite 15-10 times
3. 🚶♀️ Sensory Grounding While Walking
Walking is great for our health (boosts mood, reduces rumination, and lowers blood sugar), but even walking can be paired with dysregulating activities like listening to podcasts, encountering traffic, or pushing a screaming toddler. Next time you are out for a walk, try these practices and notice how you feel.
➡ Focus on sight - Pick one color to look for on your walk, red, yellow, or pink, for example. How many things did you pick up on that you normally wouldn't notice?
➡ Focus on touch - Go barefoot or feel the trees as you walk by them.
➡ Focus on sound - What can you hear along your walk?
4. 📱 Digital Mindfulness
This is going to help with focus, sleep, and reducing mindless habits.
➡ Pause before scrolling: Ask yourself, “What do I really need right now?”
➡ Have a drink of water or take a stretch break instead of picking up your phone
👩👧 Mindfulness for Every Season of Life
No matter where you are on your wellness journey, mindful moments can meet you there.
New to wellness? Start your day with mineral-rich water and one moment of gratitude.
Busy moms? Breathe deeply during diaper changes, snack with your kids, and ditch the phone during naptime.
Wellness-minded women? Do a weekly nervous system check-in. Add herbs like chamomile or tulsi to your routine.
Seeking optimal health? Focus on mindful eating, bitters for digestion, and calming nighttime rituals.
💛 Wellness Is a Lifestyle, Not a Checklist
Health is a daily investment. Every mindful decision—what you eat, how you breathe, how present you are—adds to the bank account of your well-being.
“You deserve peace. It’s not a luxury—it’s a need.”
“Start small. One mindful moment at a time.”
“Peace doesn’t have to be scheduled in.”
🎧 Felt like this resonated with you? Check out our full episode on the topic!
Tune in to the full episode of the Move, Grow, Rise Podcast to hear:
Real-life examples of mindfulness in action
The truth about why we’re overwhelmed
Personalized ideas based on your life stage
Encouragement to stop chasing perfection—and start noticing what’s already working
🎙️ Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube
🧘♀️ Connect and let me know which mindful moment spoke to you!
Instagram @movegrowrisepodcast
Instagram @moveholistichealthandnutrition
Facebook Move Holistic Health and Nutrition
📚 Citations
Brain Overstimulation & Default Mode Network Raichle, M. E. (2015). The Brain’s Default Mode Network. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 38, 433–447. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-071013-014030
Decision Fatigue Baumeister, R. F., et al. (2008). Ego Depletion: Is the Active Self a Limited Resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252–1265. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252
Mind Wandering & Unhappiness Killingsworth, M. A., & Gilbert, D. T. (2010). A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind. Science, 330(6006), 932. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1192439
Breathwork & Nervous System Regulation Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., et al. (2017). The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 874. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874
Mindful Eating & Digestion Kristeller, J. L., & Wolever, R. Q. (2011). Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training for Treating Binge Eating Disorder: The Conceptual Foundation. Eating Disorders, 19(1), 49–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2011.533605
Walking & Rumination/Mood Gotink, R. A., Meijboom, R., Vernooij, M. W., Smits, M., & Hunink, M. G. M. (2016). 8-Week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Induces Brain Changes Similar to Traditional Long-Term Meditation Practice – A Systematic Review. Brain and Cognition, 108, 32–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2016.07.001
Tech Use & Mental Health in Young Adults Twenge, J. M., et al. (2017). Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003
Comments