Yes, the holidays are ending soon, but you can give yourself another present! You can give yourself the gift of Mindfulness. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is a way of being. It’s a peaceful place where we can all live if we choose. It is living in the Present moment. The Present moment is the Here and Now. So many of us live in our heads instead of in the Here and Now. We ruminate about what happened in the past or we worry about what might happen (or not happen) in the future. This is an endless cycle that holds us in a place of suffering and fear. There is no joy in living in our heads this way. Mindfulness is a Present you can choose to give yourself. It’s a present that is filled with peace and joy. Suffering and fear can not exist in the present moment – it is not possible. So, if you chose to embrace the gift of Mindfulness, you are choosing to let go of suffering and fear.
So how do we do this? How do we gift ourselves with Mindfulness and the Present Moment? We start with practicing Mindfulness. A little Mindfulness goes a LONG way! I always like to start with Awareness. So, start by noticing when you are in your head. Whenever you notice that you are stuck in your head in the Past or Future – Say “Past” or “Future” - out loud if you can. If you practice this all day long, you will start to become more aware of your thoughts. You will be flexing and exercising your muscle of Awareness. This is an important step. If you don’t even realize that you are stuck in your head, then you cannot stop this hamster wheel and get off.
OK, now that you are Aware of your thoughts, you can now replace them with practicing Mindfulness. To do this you bring your attention to whatever you are doing. Start to notice all the details of your surroundings. Look around and challenge yourself to notice something that you have never noticed before. For example, even though you drink your tea/coffee out of this same mug everyday… Take notice of how the mug feels in your hands. Really look at the mug and see something different this time – maybe there is a chip – maybe you notice how the color of your mug matches the color of the sky. Close your eyes and notice the shape of your mug with your touch. Notice the warmth coming from the mug. When you drink your beverage, notice how it feels in your mouth before you swallow. Maybe try to move the liquid over a new part of your tongue and see if you notice a different taste or sensation. When you swallow, feel the liquid going down your throat and into your stomach. You can practice this Mindfulness technique with anything you do during the day. You just need to slow down and make a conscious effort to be in the Present Moment and notice it.
What a wonderful gift! Another Present for you before the Holidays end! When you gift yourself the Present of Mindfulness, you will be so delighted that you won’t want to stop the practice. Not only will you enjoy the practice, but you will also notice the absence of worry and fear. You will want to expand Mindfulness into all areas of your life! You just need to start small. Remember, a little Mindfulness goes a LONG way! 😉
Much Love to you! Lisa.
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