Be In the Now

Jon Kabat-Zinn, creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, said:

It is not that mindfulness is the “answer” to all life’s problems. Rather, it is that all life’s problems can be seen more clearly through the lens of a clear mind.”

Mindfulness is a way of being; a stance toward life, not just a clever technique used to relax or get out of trouble.  Adopted and adapted from Buddhism, the aim of mindfulness is to alleviate stress, develop the habit of being more aware and alert, and often, to be more “present” in the here and now. Mindfulness can be practiced every moment of every day and infused into all of life’s activities, from walking to eating, talking and listening. Dishes can be washed mindfully and even emails can be checked mindfully.

Mindfulness practice is key in my coaching relationships. My clients learn how to incorporate reflective practices such as journaling and meditation relevant to their challenges and goals.

Today I wanted to share a few mindful practices you can begin using:

New Wonders The first exercise is simple but incredibly powerful. It’s purpose is to slow us down and connect us with the beauty of the natural environment.Pick something in nature within your environment and focus on it for a minute or so. This could be a tree, a bird, an insect, the clouds or the moon.
Don’t do anything except notice the thing you are looking at. Really notice it. Look at it as if you are seeing it for the first time.

Soak It In  The intention of this exercise is to cultivate contentment in the moment, rather than finding yourself caught up in that familiar feeling of wanting something to end so that you can get on to doing something else. It might even make you enjoy some of those daunting daily chores. Take a regular routine that you find yourself “doing” without really noticing your actions. For example, when cleaning or eating, pay attention to every detail of the activity. Rather than a routine job or chore, create an entirely new experience by noticing every aspect of your actions.
Mindfulness exercises help ground you and restore balance to life. Rather than being led by thoughts and feelings, often influenced by past experiences and fears of future occurrences, we are able to live with intention. To consciously respond, instead of habitual reactions.

With a Grateful Heart,