Why You Need an Arriving Practice: A Christian Mindfulness Approach to Starting Your Day
What is your ideal way to start your day?
Is it harried, rushed, and running out of time? Do you find yourself sitting down already feeling behind, disorganized, and wondering what to do next?
If so, you’re not alone. Many of us unintentionally “arrive” at work, church, or family commitments already depleted.
But there’s another way.
An arriving practice is a mindful way of beginning your day with intention, presence, and connection. It helps you pause before entering into the busyness of life so that you show up from a place of peace rather than exhaustion.
The Science of Mindfulness and Why Hurry Hurts Us
Mindfulness, at its core, is the ability to stay in the present moment with non-judgment. Research shows that when we move through life hurried and scattered, our bodies encode these patterns. Over time, they manifest as emotional dysregulation, anxiety, and unpleasant mood states.
One way we can see this scientifically is through heart rate variability (HRV)—the variation in time between heartbeats. HRV is sensitive to emotional fluctuation, and low HRV is often linked to stress and burnout.
In short: hurry is chaos for your body, mind, and soul.
A Christian Mindfulness Perspective
As a Christian mindfulness researcher and practitioner, I see hurry not only as a health issue but also as a spiritual one. Scripture reminds us that we are designed for peace, not chaos.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 says:
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
An arriving practice is a way to honor the whole self—body, soul, and spirit—through daily, intentional nurture.
How to Begin an Arriving Practice
You don’t need an hour-long meditation to benefit. Instead, think of small, micro-practices that ground you before entering into your commitments.
Here are a few ways to begin:
Pause and Pray: Spend one minute breathing deeply and offering a short prayer of intention for your day.
Notice Your Environment: Feel the sunshine through the window, smell your morning tea or coffee, savor the first bites of breakfast.
Release Worry: As you inhale, lift your arms; as you exhale, imagine placing your worries into God’s hands.
Ask for Wisdom: Pray, “Lord, what should my focus be today? How can I serve?” and notice what comes to mind.
Receive Nurture: Pay attention to the small blessings—your child’s hug, your spouse’s kiss, or the morning birdsong—as gifts of grace.
My Personal Arriving Practice
Here’s what I’m still working on in my own mornings:
I wake up, stretch, and water the plants. I breathe in fresh air, feel the sun on my face, and sit in prayer. I give over my hundred worries, breathing in God’s presence and exhaling stress.
I ask for wisdom, remembering prayer requests and anticipating the day ahead. I ask for strength, grace, and daily manna. I pray the Lord’s Prayer. Then I receive: the hug from my son heading to school, the kiss from my husband before he leaves.
It’s all beautiful. I hold those moments as I drive, walk into my office, and sit down to begin my work—rooted, present, and connected.
Try It This Week
Your arriving practice doesn’t need to look like mine. It might be a two-minute pause before you walk into the office. It might be a short prayer in the car before picking up your kids. Or it could be a morning walk with gratitude for each step.
The point is to start small, be intentional, and create space for peace before stepping into the demands of the day.
So, let me ask you:
👉 What is an arriving practice you can try this week?
Keywords: arriving practice, mindfulness, Christian mindfulness, morning routine, stress management, emotional regulation, intentional living.