Lets be honest here, being an adult comes with it fair share of challenges. You might be juggling a family, stressful work environments, or all and everything in between. Amidst the chaos, taking time out for ourselves soon hops onto the backburner and to the bottom of our priorities.
Little by little, we can let stress and overwhelming thoughts take over, resulting in huge downfalls in our productivity and energy levels.
Aisling Larkin, a leading voice in the way of promoting mindful choices to better ourselves and our bodies, spoke to EVOKE on how to recognise these signs within ourselves, how to cope with them, and what choices we can make to have mindfulness at the forefront of our every day habits.
What are mindful choices?
Mindful choices are decisions made with full awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings—rather than running on autopilot. They’re about slowing down to notice what’s really going on inside before reacting. “Your mindset has to be in the right place. The behaviours that shape your energy, nourishment, and mood will follow,” says Aisling.
The gateway? A single, deep breath. It may sound simple, but that pause gives you space to think, assess, and choose what’s best for you, whether replying to a stressful email, deciding how to spend your evening, or picking what to eat. It’s a way of saying, 'I’m worth this pause'. For many, it comes down to self-worth—we don’t always believe we deserve that moment.' Take that breath and you take back control.'.
That's it. People always believe that mindfulness is meditations and sitting in a room for 20 minutes, meditating for an hour, and so many say, I can't. I can't quieten my brain.'
Taking back your control
Making mindful choices is not all about taking a big breath and pretending that big problems don't exist, its important to give them the space to recognise them.
Rather than suppressing those feelings, Aisling asks us to face them head on, give them the space they need to develop .'And when you create space, you then respond rather than react.'
Aisling then explained to us that connecting to those feelings, even though it may be scary, can show up for us in a multitude of ways: skin picking, jaw clenching, self soothing.. We do these things to regulate ourselves and our bodies, but other ways we can control it is by just taking a step back and trying to figure out why we react in a certain way.
Simple Tips and tricks to begin your mindfulness journey
As Irish folk, we are fond of 'numbing and running' as Aisling put it, meaning we struggle to face things head on and tackle the issue at hand. These simple techniques may help you to become better at resolving issues and help make these mindful choices.
R.A.I.N- Recognise, Allow, Investigate, Nurture
Recognise the feeling or emotion you are having, and begin to process how or what you need to help yourself through that emotion. 'What's that emotion going to turn into?' Anxiety? Frustration? Sadness? Acknowledge it without judgment.
Allow what emotion you are feeling to be there, don't run away from it. Although it is scary and daunting, its crucial to develop those coping skills. 'All of a sudden you become in control. The hardest part then is to allow it to be there.'
Investigate what the root cause of your feeling was, and really get to understand the emotion you are dealing with. Ask yourself: Why am I feeling this? What triggered it? Understanding the root cause helps you respond more effectively.
Nurture it-'And we're not very good at doing this, as a society where you give yourself a little bit of compassion. We're so hard on ourselves.' In our society it does not come as second nature to us to be kind to ourselves, so remember to nurture those feelings and thoughts that you have.
D.O.S.E Method- Your four happy chemicals!
Aisling explains that our brains run on a natural chemical cocktail, and balancing these can transform how we feel day to day. 'And what we're trying to do is maximise those for positive energy. Respond, don't react. So the dose method facilitates you having a higher level of coping skills,'.
Dopamine is the chemical we link with rewards and achievement's, so we are constantly trying to chase that high of dopamine. . Build small wins into your day—read a few pages of a book, complete a task, try something new. Effort over passive activity is key.
Oxytocin is the chemical that helps us feel safe and connected to others, bonding us to one another. ' When you feel connected, you feel safe.' The smallest of gestures like holding the door open for someone but those moments of contact are what bonds us together and creates a happy environment for our minds.
Serotonin is the mood stabiliser chemical. Tied to sleep, melatonin production, and overall energy, it is vital we produce enough of it. 'Your mood and your energy are linked to your nourishment from food, hydration, movement, sleep, and mindset'. Aisling also recommends getting 10 minutes of daylight on your face in the morning before touching a screen. Nourish your body with foods like poultry, nuts, and eggs. .
Endorphins are released during exercise, laughter, or even when you have a good cry. 'You can be the saddest you've been or the happiest you've been, but both will release those endorphins that you need moving in your body'. Stretch it out, move those endorphins in the body!
The DOSE method is much more than remembering the ABC's of healthy chemicals, it promotes balance and resilience in our lives in every aspect, and our production of energy is at an all time high.
When these chemicals are in balance, you’re better equipped to handle whatever life throws at you. Pairing this with the RAIN method means you’re both listening to your emotions and supporting your body’s natural systems.
And the best part? You don’t have to change everything overnight. Aisling, in partnership with Holland & Barrett, encourages starting small. Pause before making a decision. Breathe before reacting. Choose foods and activities that nourish both your body and mind.
Over time, these micro-moments stack up, creating a ripple effect in your mood, energy, and overall wellbeing. One breath really can be the start of something bigger.
