Esperar en la línea de compras ya no será angustioso al practicar la atención plena

Amid the world events about the COVID-19 pandemic, the best option is to stay at home. But what happens when it is our turn to replenish the stock of products and food? Consumers have introduced a new distressing stage to their normal shopping routine, and it is simply to stand in lines to get into stores, in order to stock up on what they need.

In this waiting phase, consumers have been under stress and anxiety because of the long lines on the shopping day and the operating hours of stores. Due to the emergency measures taken in different countries, they have had to create schedules to avoid crowds in a certain period of time, not to mention the fear of being infected and of infecting our loved ones.

Now, standing in line can be a great opportunity to practice mindfulness and you will be able to take advantage of that time to make a conscious purchase without spending your savings, bring the products that are really necessary for your home and you will be able to be more friendly to the employees of the establishment who like you are at risk of being infected.

You will not be able to make a beneficial purchase if you are under the influence of strong emotions, such as anger, impatience, frustration, etc. Emotions determine most of the decisions we make in our lives. I will show you how to control these emotions mentioned above through practical exercises:

If you feel you are drowning in your face mask while you are waiting for your turn to enter the establishment, a short meditation can help you stay calm, as we are not used to stay with masks on the street and experience feelings of drowning and sweating. This is a method to protect ourselves and others. This meditation can be done with your eyes open or when you take a moment to think and focus; relax your shoulders, neck, back, open your mouth and smile, you won’t see it but your facial muscles will relax and when you feel the attention placed on what you are doing you will pay attention to the contact of the face mask, the breeze on your face and what surrounds you. You can do this exercise while standing in line: you can start by relaxing your shoulders, your abdomen, your legs and if you carry bags in your hands you can pass them from one hand to the other to lighten the load and give your arms a break, take a deep breath and bounce gently through your mouth, place your attention on something that makes you have peace and return to your normal breathing. You will notice that your body has turned into another sensation; relief and tranquility will take over your body and mind.

Have compassionate pause in the line, pause to meditate and create a mantra that gives you patience and strength to move forward and learn to cope with this moment that gradually will have its end; always live the here and now.

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