Mindfulness is the practice of consciously focusing on the present moment, noticing sensations, feelings, thoughts, and the environment without judgment.
It is a technique that promotes personal development and helps to deal with stress and anxiety and other disorders.
You probably enjoy crossdressing, but for a variety of reasons—including ones beyond crossdressing itself—you may feel anxious when you do. You may fear being caught dressed as a woman – and this can detract from your experience: You become anxious and don’t enjoy the experience as much as you should, including not taking all of your available time. You may feel anxious about underdressing outside the home, fearing that someone will discover your secret – including thoughts such as “if I get sick or have an accident and go to the hospital, I will be exposed”. You may be having trouble understanding or even accepting your attraction to women’s clothing. Or you are simply anxious or worried about other reasons, such as an illness, a professional issue, among other things.
You can apply mindfulness practice to crossdressing in a number of ways. You can dress like a woman by taking this present moment and noticing consciously and non-judgmentally how you feel. This experience will definitely do a lot of good for your mind and deepen your self-knowledge and strengthen connections with your feminine side.
The first exercise I’m going to propose here: put on a bra. I like the bra exercise because it is a piece that imposes its presence. Sensations like the touch of the straps on the shoulders and the “hug” that the band gives to the body make it a piece impossible not to be felt by those who wear it – many women love to unbutton it when they get home, after spending hours together.
Choose a bra that you like and wear it consciously. Pay attention to how you wear it, from choosing it to fitting it into your body. Notice the straps touching and squeezing your shoulders. Realize and feel the touch of the fabric on the body, identifying which fabric it is composed of (lace, cotton, satin or other). Feel the hug feeling it provides. If using any padding, feel the weight of the padding. In the mirror, identify and see how it feels to see yourself wearing a bra. Note the projection (if any, if you are wearing padding or a padded bra). Realize the difference when wearing some clothes over the bra.
At all these times, be non-judgmental. Just watch your feelings, sensations and thoughts as if they were cars driving down the street and driving away. This goes for all the exercises we propose here.
The same goes for panties: you can consciously wear panties. Feel the touch of the fabric on the body and notice the difference between wearing panties and underwear. Realize how your body adapts to the panties. You can see yourself in the mirror wearing the panties and just observe how you feel and what you think about it.
If you want to wear a skirt or dress, wear it consciously. Feel the sensation of using a different cut piece. Feel the touch of the fabric on the body. Notice how the piece moves when you walk or walk. Feel the wind. In the mirror, observe what it feels like to see yourself in this outfit.
You can also apply makeup. Consciously choose how you want to apply makeup and the materials you will use. Apply makeup mindfully, paying attention to how the materials interact with your body as you apply them. With makeup on, feel the feeling you get when you have makeup on your face. In the mirror, notice how you feel to see your face transformed.
Shoes? Consciously wear the shoe – how about a high-heeled one? – and notice how your feet feel in relation to it. Walk around wearing them and notice how you feel and how you walk in them.
You may feel anxious about dressing like a woman. Either for fear of liking it or for fear of being caught by someone. Mindfulness is a great tool to relax, but if you need it, you can use relaxation techniques. I recommend diaphragmatic breathing: inhale slowly through your nose and place your hand on your belly. Try to expand the belly – not the chest. Then, slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat a few times until you feel relaxed.
You can do one exercise or do them all in combination – that is, assemble yourself completely. One way or another, this is an experience that will be very positive for your crossdressing practice and for your mental health.
– Do you get anxious when crossdressing?
– Have you heard about mindfulness? Have you ever thought about the relationship between mindfulness and crossdressing?
– Have you practiced what I taught here? Share your experience.
Sincerely,
Marie
More Articles by Marie Claire
- Neutral Crossdressing: An Alternative
- Can Sports Bra Help Crossdressing?
- A fear that not only you feel!
- The psychology of crossdressing: Why do you dress like a woman?
- QUIZ: Do you like bras?
I love what I’m reading here! I wear panties and bralettes almost everyday and when I put on a skirt and some long sleeve pretty blouse I feel so feminine and I feel pretty. That experience is so warming and loving the female side of myself it’s like I’m hugging myself and smiling from the inside seeing my image in the mirror and knowing it’s who I really am. I have a 100% supporting wife who gives me such support and feedback on my appearance and helps me sometimes with applying lipstick and we go out together just like sisters… Read more »
Oh Stephanie, I know how you feel. Since I’ve come out to everyone and now live full time, I feel so much better, more free, and as you mention, I feel a much warmer, more sensitive person, it’s such a wonderful way to feel. I feel as if I have been given a gift, a chance for a 2nd life, a more gentle, understanding life, unburdened by the mistakes and pain of my previous life, able to experience an entirely new life, from an entirely different point of view, and still knowing the mistakes of my past so I don’t… Read more »
@Jennifer Friendly I’m grateful for your reply.Â
 Yesterday, I went out in feme in a.different Country, for the first time. A bit scary, and was in a skirt and pretty panties -where here men are pretty much Macho types.Â
 But it was OK, and the rush in being out, head held high, being who I know is feminine deep with in. Exelirating!Â
I love myself as Stephanie and want to be seen as me. And yesterday I was glowing, walking back to my.new apartment.
.
Oh Jennifer, thank you for your sharing. Xoxo 🤗
Mindfulness practice something that I have done taught and live through meditation and Danny experience. I highly recommend the practice and or finding a teacher someone who can drive you and the point that will lead you to more clarity of mind and being present more frequently than the usual being lost in thought. Mindfully yours
Stephanie Brown
@Marie Claire I’m very mindful during the experience of dressing and it gives me gender euphoria.  I often stop to just enjoy the feeling of wearing my bra and panties before I put the rest of my clothes on.  The transformation of my face during makeup application is something I appreciate and take time to enjoy too.  Once I’m dressed and out the door, there is an initial appreciation of who I am as a woman and that the world will see me that way.  As my day goes on though, I just fall into my daily routine being Lauren… Read more »
@Marie Claire Thank you so much for this post. This type of mindfulness is why I dress. I have always destressed by dressing and have found starting each day wearing panties and a bra just sets up the rest of the day.
Such a great topic Marie. A psychologist I went to years ago showed me how to use mindfulness to relieve my stress and anxiety. (Most of which was being caused by my need to be Olivia) She said all the things we worry and stress about are either events that have happened in the past or what might happen in the future. We hardly ever stress about what is happening right now so mindfulness will help you to just be in the now. For me becoming Olivia is like a natural mindfulness, living in the moment as from the second… Read more »
I so loved you thoughts and descriptions when crossdressing Marie. Mindfulness is just so much a part of crossdressing and enjoying and wanting to be the woman we are. I simply loved your description of putting on and enjoying the feelings wearing a bra. This is the first item I put on when crossdressing and those glorious feelings of who I am just flood over me. I slip in my breast forms and just allow the whole experience of wearing a bra, the feeling of the bra straps, the weight of my breasts. the look of who I have become…I… Read more »
Hi Ladies, and thank you Marie! I am a trans woman, and found out this past year that I am intersex, I actually am a woman! I can tell you that living with the knowledge that you truly are, who you always felt you were, is an indescribable feeling! I get to experience all the sensations of femininity each and every day, all day long and all through the night. Simply put, it is truly wonderful! I have always loved the feel of the material that most women’s wear is made from, love to touch it and run my fingers… Read more »