Simple Mindfulness

Contentment

Why is mindfulness such a hot topic? Because living in the moment is crucial to finding contentment. Deepak Chopra is the best at reminding us of this with his quote: “The most important thing you can do in life is be present for it.”

This really hits home for me because of several reasons. The biggest reason is that I wear a lot of hats. I have many roles, and if you’re like me, role strain is a common source of stress. I have my children to take care of, my husband, our family businesses to manage (which have roles within roles within roles), other family members and friends to be there for, and then somehow take care of myself in the process.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a self-nurturing and concrete thing in my life that keeps me sane.

From the time I was little, I’ve always had a good memory. This is because I’m very sensitive, and I naturally take in everything in the moment. However, as I’ve gotten older and had more responsibilities added to my plate, I’ve noticed how losing that sense of being grounded in the present moment increases stress and anxiety. You know how it goes with all the distractions and worries. The mind can start racing, but if I make a conscious effort to not let the distractions or thoughts take me away, the anxiety and stress both diminish.

When anxiety and stress go down, our bodies and minds operate better. Hormones balance out. Everything mellows. Most importantly, we stop giving raw materials to stress hormones. They get redirected to creating the “useful and youthful hormones.”

A Simple Mindfulness Exercise

Here’s an easy exercise to help you be in the NOW. This works really well if you’re sitting at a desk or table.

1. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and out, but do it slowly.
2. Feel your feet on the ground. Pay attention to how it feels. Keep breathing slowly.
3. Notice what you hear or smell. Remember to keep breathing.
4. If you’re having thoughts, let them come and go. If you’re having thoughts that you’d like to have go away, gently pop them with a pin. I imagine the thought is a balloon, and I just gently pop it with a pin. Keep breathing and letting everything flow.
5. Pay attention to your feet again. Feel them on the floor, and notice how they are planted. Keep breathing.
6. Open your eyes. Notice how you feel. You should feel calmer.

The Bottom Line for Me with Mindfulness

I don’t always have the ability to do this exercise. In its place, I remember something:

If I don’t absorb this moment and this day, it’s ok. We can’t always be here now, BUT I remind myself that I’m in a critical season of life. I have 3 little people who depend on me. If I can’t uphold my responsibility to them, then I’ll regret that. Connecting with my children and nurturing the relationship with my husband have to be tops on the list.

As my kids get older, the foundation that I’m laying now will be critical to their development. It will be critical to our relationships with one another. The connection to my loved ones and truly being there in the moment is everything. Other things can take a back seat. Projects can wait.

Nothing matters more than being present with them.

If we strive for that, then we can’t go wrong. Here’s to being in the moment as much as we can, and realizing the power of that for now and the future.

From my heart,

Lindsay