my word for 2010 – mindfulness
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I have a tendency to spend time in a rose-tinted past or an imagined future. Times when things were or will be better. A tendency that is not uncommon in people suffering from chronic illness or pain. One day things will be better and then life will be like it used to be. Meanwhile I am missing all the experiences that life is throwing at me right now. They don’t always have to be good experiences to be important.
So this year I want to be present in everything I do. When I write, when I eat, when I am with those I love, when I am at work, when I exercise, when I meet new people or try new things, when I am on my mat. Especially when I am on my mat.
This isn’t about hours of meditation every day, this isn’t about experimenting with different mindfulness techniques (not that there is anything wrong with that). This is about appreciating the life I have right now. Every damn moment of it.
11 Responses to “my word for 2010 – mindfulness”
I love it! An excellent and important word. Good luck.
As you know minfulness is something I try to cultivate. I adore Thich Naht Hanh and his books on mindfulness.
I wish you best in this quest; it is a great thing to focus on.
<3 Happy New Year
oh this is fabulous.
love it!
Brilliant post. Too true. I too have a tendency to forget to live now and sometimes seek to be at a different point in time. A timely reminder too, as I anticipate packing up the Christmas paraphernalia …… many of us crave the beginning of spring and want to see the back of winter but I expect the season still has much to offer!
Seeking mindfulness is my lifelong practice. Some days I get it and some days it eludes me. But when I catch myself living mindfully, oh what a joy.
Wishing you peace and healing for the New Year,
Jan
I've been looking forward to this post Rachel, and it didn't disappoint! I've been working on mindfulness and present moment living for a long time now, and I think the greatest leap forward I've had in the last year or so is simply noticing how often I am NOT present. I've also learned that the fastest route to the here and now is through our senses – sound,taste,touch,smell,sight (I've been meaning to write more about this for a while). My challenge for this year (and beyond) is to learn to be present with my emotions – I've realised how often I resist my negative feelings, my petty irritations, my raging angers – I push them aside, instead of just allowing them to come up, have their say and then peacfully float away
All the best with your practice and I look forward to hearing more about how it is going.
Love the word, good for me too
yes that's such a good approach! Here's to a mindful 2010!
I'm so with you on this one! I'm trying for the same goal. Be here now.
I like your word hon and I like the simplicity of it
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