What are you doing right now? You’re reading this page, but you may also be thinking about the phone calls you need to make or what to wear tomorrow. You may be listening to the news on television or keeping an eye on a sleeping baby. You may also be preoccupied with concerns about work, a relationship or the future.
The white noise of constant thought and multi-tasking is something to which we are accustomed. Today, our actions are all too frequently driven rather than undertaken in awareness, driven by those thoughts and duties. In the meantime, life rushes by and may be taking us in directions we don’t see or would never want to follow.
Practicing mindfulness can take you away from the white noise and put you back into your life and yourself in new ways.
Mindfulness is a simple but powerful route for getting back in touch with your own wisdom and vitality. It is a way to take charge of the direction and quality of your life, including your relationship with family, your work, the world and most important, yourself.
The key is appreciating the present moment – the right now – and living in it with care and attention. Too often, we focus on the future (or the past) and forge about now.
While its practice is simple, it is not always easy. We are all used to being preoccupied with other concerns or details, with many thoughts streaming through our heads. As you practice mindfulness, you’ll find it easier to filter out these other ideas or distractions.
“Live in the moment. Breathe deeply. Stop and smell the roses. In a simplistic way these simple ideas are the essence of mindfulness.”
This is an excerp from one of our favorite books: Creating Balance, a guide to your well-being