Meditation and mindfulness are effective ways to deal with stress that comes from within. It originates from our brain and nervous system, that for many years have practiced trying to protect us. This often happens automatically, based on past experiences, memories, and what we – consciously or unconsciously – have come to believe about ourselves throughout life.

Because of this, we sometimes react strongly not only to what is happening here and now, but also to what the body and nervous system recognize from previous situations, relationships, or wounds. This does not mean that something is wrong with you. Most often, it means that your body has learned to stay alert, to anticipate, adapt, or hold itself together when something has felt unsafe, difficult, or overwhelming.

When we begin to understand stress in this way, we can also begin to meet ourselves with a little more softness. Instead of thinking that we should be calmer, stronger, or able to handle more, we can pause and ask: What inside me is trying to protect me right now? What has my nervous system learned to be on guard against? And what would help me feel safer here and now?

This is where meditation and mindfulness can become a gentle support between sessions. Not as another demand, and not as something you have to perform well in, but as a way to begin listening inward a little more kindly. Mindfulness is often described as conscious presence – bringing your attention to the present moment, for example through your senses and your breathing – and it is often used as support for stress and anxiety.

Pausing in a Fast-Paced Everyday Life

We often live at a high pace. Many people carry a lot of responsibility, many impressions, and a constant movement forward. It then becomes easy to lose contact with yourself. We keep going even when we are tired, and we often push through even when the body signals that it is too much. Another common pattern is trying to think our way away from feelings that actually need to be seen and held.

In this kind of everyday life, mindfulness and meditation can become a way to slow down. Not because everything has to stop, but because you need a chance to catch up with yourself.

This is not about making big changes overnight. Very often, it begins much more simply than that. Often, it is enough to notice one breath, or place a hand on your chest when stress arises. You can allow yourself a brief moment to ask how you are really feeling, instead of continuing to rush forward.

These moments may seem small, but they can mean a lot. Every time you pause and listen inward, you also strengthen your relationship with yourself.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness means conscious presence. It is a practice of paying attention to what is happening here and now, with as much kindness and openness as possible.

This does not mean that you should stop thinking. It also does not mean that you have to feel calm. Thoughts will come. Emotions will move. The body will signal different things. Mindfulness is more about noticing it all, without immediately judging it, pushing it away, or trying to fix everything at once.

Many of us otherwise live mostly in what has already happened or what might happen next. We ruminate, prepare, worry, or analyze. That is human. The brain often tries to help by anticipating risks and protecting us from discomfort. But sometimes this also leaves us stuck in stress, vigilance, and distance from what is actually happening right now.

So when you practice mindfulness, you are not training to become someone else. You are training to become more present with yourself. To slowly notice what is going on, without immediately running away from it.

Why Can It Be Helpful Between Sessions?

Life continues between our therapy sessions. Feelings are activated, relationships affect us, old patterns show themselves, and everyday life often continues at the same pace as before. That is why it can be helpful to have a few simple ways to come back to yourself between sessions.

Meditation and mindfulness can help create small pauses for recovery, increase awareness of thoughts, feelings, and bodily signals, and help you step out of stressful thought loops.

That does not mean everything becomes easy. It also does not mean that difficult feelings disappear. But it can make it easier to face what is going on without feeling as consumed by it. For many people, this becomes a way to continue the inner work between sessions – not only by understanding themselves, but by actually pausing and checking in.

It Does Not Have to Be Perfect

It is easy to think that meditation has to look a certain way in order to count. That you have to sit for a long time, be completely focused, or feel an inner calm right away. But it does not have to be like that.

It is completely okay if your thoughts wander or if you feel restless. And it is completely okay if you forget to practice on some days. Mindfulness is not about performance. It is about practicing returning – gently, again and again.

Sometimes two minutes is enough. Sometimes it is enough to pause in the middle of the day and take three slow breaths. The most important thing is not how long you practice, but that you create small moments where you actually get to meet yourself.

A Few Simple Exercises to Try Between Sessions

Mindful Breathing

This is a simple exercise that can help you gather your attention and create a little more presence in the moment.

Sit comfortably or lie down. Notice your breath just as it is. You do not need to change it. Feel the air moving in and out. You may notice your breath most clearly in your belly, your chest, or at your nose.

When your thoughts drift away, which they often do, you can gently notice that and then return to your breath.

You can start with 3–5 minutes, or even shorter if that feels more helpful. The important thing is not to stay focused the entire time, but to give yourself a moment of presence.

Body Scan

A body scan helps you direct your attention to the body and notice how you are actually feeling.

Lie down or sit comfortably. Begin with your feet and then slowly move your attention up through the body. Notice what you feel in each part: perhaps heaviness, warmth, tension, tingling, tiredness, or maybe nothing in particular.

There is no right or wrong way to feel. The point is not to change anything, but to begin listening.

For many people, this is a way of noticing things that otherwise get lost in the pace of everyday life. When you slow down, you may notice how tense your shoulders are or how tired your body feels. It can be relieving to realize that you truly need rest.

The Five Senses Exercise

When thoughts move quickly or emotions become overwhelming, it can help to ground yourself in the present through your senses.

Pause and notice:

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can hear
• 3 things you can feel in your body or on your skin
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

This is a very simple and grounding exercise. It helps you come back to the moment when you feel scattered, stressed, or far away from yourself.

Mindful Walking

Mindfulness does not always have to happen in stillness. For some people, it feels easier to be present when the body is moving.

Take a short walk without rushing. Notice how your feet meet the ground. Feel the rhythm of your steps. Notice the air against your skin, the sounds around you, the colors you see, and the scents in your surroundings.

When your thoughts drift toward lists, worries, or planning, you can gently return to the body in motion.

It does not have to be a long walk to make a difference. Sometimes five minutes is enough to create a little more space inside.

Self-Compassion in the Moment

Many people are used to being hard on themselves when something feels difficult. In those moments, a brief pause of self-compassion can be an important support.

When you notice that you are struggling, try pausing and saying to yourself:

This is a difficult moment right now.
I am allowed to feel what I feel.
What would I need right now?

You can place a hand over your heart or on your stomach while saying the words, if that feels supportive. It can create a sense of comfort and connection.

Self-compassion is not about giving up. It is about meeting yourself with the same humanity that you may so easily offer to others.

If It Feels Difficult to Practice

It is common for it to feel unfamiliar at first. You may feel restless or notice that it is hard to pause at all. Many thoughts or emotions may arise when you become still, and that may make you feel stressed, as if you are not doing it right. That does not mean you are doing anything wrong.

Often, it means the opposite: that you are becoming more aware of what is already there. And that can be an important part of the process.

For some people, stillness can also feel challenging, especially if they live with strong stress, anxiety, or difficult past experiences. Then it is wise to practice gently. You may notice that a walk feels better than closing your eyes in silence, or that you need to begin with very short moments. Sometimes focusing on your surroundings rather than inward awareness can make it easier to breathe.

There is no requirement for how it has to look. What matters is that the practice becomes a support for you, not another place where you feel you have to perform.

You Get to Find Your Own Way

There is no one method that fits everyone. Some people like focusing on the breath. Others feel more supported by movement, music, nature, or bodily sensations. The most important thing is not getting it right, but exploring what helps you feel a little more connected, a little more present, and a little safer.

Maybe it feels best to practice in the morning before the day begins, or during lunch. It might also be just before going to bed. And sometimes you may be surprised by how simple it can be – for example, three mindful breaths in the car may make a bigger difference than a long meditation you never get around to because of lack of time. Everything that helps you breathe and relax counts.

What you do gently in small ways is always more helpful than something big you try to force.

Between Sessions, the Process Can Continue in Small but Important Ways

The therapeutic work does not only happen when we sit together in conversation. It continues, above all, in the relationship you build with yourself between our sessions. Little by little, you learn to listen to your needs by beginning to notice your body’s signals and meeting your stress and emotions with a little more understanding and a little less struggle.

Meditation and mindfulness can support exactly that. Not as a performance, but as a soft place to return to. A reminder that you are allowed to pause. That you are allowed to check in with yourself. That you are allowed to meet yourself with more warmth.

You do not have to do much, and you do not have to do it perfectly. You only have to begin where you are right now.

And the next time we meet, we can explore together what you noticed. What may have felt helpful, or what brought up resistance. You may even find yourself longing for more of something. In that way, the small moments between sessions can also become part of the larger healing process.

What matters most is not becoming good at mindfulness. What matters most is that, step by step, you come a little closer to yourself.

If you are curious about how I work and what therapy sessions with me can look like, you can read more about therapy and my approach.

Lena Normén-Younger is a clinical nutritionist and counsellor, writer, and former researcher with roots in both Sweden and Canada. She writes about therapy, the nervous system, relationships, language, identity, loss, and the human search for meaning in a complex world.

Lena lives in Råda, Värmland, where she works with therapy and writing, close to the forest.