Finally...

I have thought a lot about what the next blog should be ... plenty of ideas, but finding time to write or commit to writing has been the challenge.  So I decided to write this one about something I am making time for this year.  It has made a surprisingly bigger difference in my day to day life than I expected.... practicing being mindful.

I started the year trying to figure out ways to find more balance.  I love social media, so I am not here to bash it.  I think it has a more positive purpose than a negative one...but I felt the need to try and put down the phone, iPad, laptop, kindle for a bit and "meditate" or just try and be still and quiet.  I have chosen to this is the morning for 15 minutes.  My goal is to sit quietly with my coffee and TRY to be in that moment and only that moment.  I will confess, this was much harder than I though... at least trying to keep my thoughts from wondering. Being disconnected turned out to be the easy part.
I stuck with the morning routine.  What surprised me, even though it is only 15 minutes in the morning, was that I found out I am more calm and less reactive during the day to what ever challenges the day throws my way.  I have been doing this since the first of January and on the few days I did not take the time,  I can honestly say I could tell the difference. The difference was so obvious it has gotten me reading and researching more about something called Mindfulness. It is a concept I want to incorporate beyond the 15 minutes of quiet in the morning...hopefully something to practice throughout the day...everyday.

Here is a favor new quote...
"Mindful or Mindless  .... In any give moment, we are either practicing mindfulness or, de facto, we are practicing mindlessness. When framed this way, we want to take more responsibility for how we meet the world, inwardly and outwardly in any and every moment."  -Jon Kabat-Zinn

The idea behind this is simple but has the ability to make a big impact if open to it.