[Tucson]

What is this "mindfulness" that others here have been mentioning as part of their coping skills? How do you put it into action?

[~Christina]

Mindfulness is "the intentional, accepting and non-judgmental focus of one's attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment. Living in the moment.

It's a great self grounding tool. I use it day in and day out.

[Wander]

Mildfullness is incredibly helpful in managing some bipolar symptoms and for general mental health as well. There are many ways to practice it. I lay down in a comfortable position and observe my breath, the sensations, sounds and rhythm. Thoughts bombard me and I often get distracted by them but as soon as I realise that is what I am doing I go back to observing my breath. The more I do it the longer I can remain calm, observing my breath without being distracted. It can be tough to begin with but it is so rewarding.

[Becoming]

Same as above posters.

It's also a healthy distraction from the thoughts by breathing exercises or observing your surroundings or focusing on the present.

Breathing exercises: just breath in and out deeply and focus on the lower stomach moving in and out. It can help to count breathes sometimes too.

Observing surroundings: just ground yourself in where you are in the present moment. What is around you? Walls, people, objects, animals, sounds, etc.

Focusing on the present: It's much like the above. When thoughts wander just think about what you are doing right now and what is important right now. Maybe if you are in a conversation, focus hard on listening and even re-thinking things they say in your mind so you "get" them clearly.