have any of y’all had success with just doing basic mindfulness exercises? if so, what does your mindfulness practice look like and what are practical ways i can get started with my own?

Meditation for 30 mins a day, in a room where you won’t be disturbed. Inhale slowly through your nose, and deeply, exhale the exact same through your mouth. Concentrate on a part of your facial feature whilst you do this practise. Eyes shut. I focus on the tip of my nose, concentrate and if your mind wanders just refocus. Over time you gain a solid concentration throughout your day-to-day schedule, it really does work. Give it a month or so and you’ll begin to see a difference.

Start small. Even if that’s 3 minutes a way. It’s like training to run a marathon, you start with walking before you jog and before you run. Keep a routine. Pick a time in your day when you can focus on it. The key is consistency. Sometimes your practice will be fruitful and sometimes messy. Both are okay. It’s not a destination you’re getting to, mindfulness in and of itself is the destination. You’re already there, it’s just awareness. As you develop your practice, increase the amount of time. I started with ten minutes and now I’m at 20. I plan on breaking my day into two sessions, doing 20 minutes early and then later in the day. There are several apps that are great for staying on track. I used Headspace personally. I’d check out these books, too: https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Workbook-OCD-Overcoming-Compulsions/dp/1608828786/ref=nodl_ https://www.amazon.com/10-Happier-Self-Help-Actually-Works/dp/0062265431 Focus more on celebrating when you notice to be mindful, and be compassionate when your mind drifts. That’s what it does! Over time you’re able to maintain mindfulness more often. ERP helped me confront my obsessions. Mindfulness helped me accept them and manage them.

Mindfulness/meditation has been a key factor in my recovery. I started with guided meditations i found on YouTube. Calm is also a great app. I like guided meditations that help me visualize letting go of pain/trauma that OCD has caused in my past. It has been really healing for me along with ERP! Also sometimes just putting all distractions and the phone aside and sitting in silence is a huge exposure in itself.