Mindfulness Matters

  By definition: Mindfulness - a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

    We are being media blitzed by this thing called mindfulness. Yes, it has been around for centuries; and yes if you truly think about it, we are at are happiest when we engage in some form for at least part of our day. We know that it aides in stress reduction which is so important for a healthy, happier life. Stress increases cortisol, which produces belly fat (which is the worst unhealthy fat to have). Those of us that practice yoga can tell you, it is the best hour of the day. Why? When you practice, the focus, the mindfulness is right with you, supporting you in each posture. It is blessed relief from the usual hectic day. Alongside yoga, prayer and meditation have been ever present for centuries; cultures have realized early on that our sanity lies there.

   So stay present, in the moment & embrace mindfulness at times throughout your day. Of course this is easier said than done! The multi-tasking epidemic has infiltrated all our lives, especially for women. I even was the guinea pig of my own blogs on the matter. It is NOT easy, trust me. We are the plate jugglers. But we can start small & simply. The best suggestions are to continue with exercise in any way that suits you. You stay mindful because concentration & a keen focus on breathing are needed to succeed. Some other simple suggestions include watching the rain or snow or birds for a few minutes a day. The next time you have a cup of tea, coffee, wine or an after supper cordial ~ sip, taste & swallow. How often do we miss the tasting part. We can then move on to meals. No distractions (TV, opening mail, etc.) ~ taste every bite and enjoy! This will lead to us eating slower, eating less & enjoying more! Bring out the nice china & stemware; I know I'm talking crazy now!

     Also, check out my Blog Archive for past blogs for ideas: Aaah, The Mindful Bath (Nov. 2014), Yoga - Legs-Up-A-Wall Pose (Jan. 2012), 2 on Multi-Tasking (March 2012), & Dolce Far Niente (Nov. 2012)

    You can start small & simply with these ideas & in no time it will become a part of a day that isn't just about going through the motions. Mindfully Enjoy!

Childhood Home

    My day began with my laptop and some blog ideas headed to my childhood home. Today is one of the final moving days and it will be living its new chapter in someone else’s life in a few days. With no TV, radio or wireless I figured I would write a few blogs in one of my usual genres. But now, sitting here for the last time, it has truly hit me; this chapter is over for all of us and we are left with memories and photos (half black & white and half color). Although I haven’t lived here for decades, this is where so much of the good stuff took place. The family dinners and family holidays. There were parties and numerous celebrations. Also, sad times when family would gather to mourn the loss of the very special. Mostly, there were the everyday memories that become your very own building blocks, the solid foundation that you build your life with.

    There was a special surprise waiting for me when I arrived; a gift from the angel that has looked over all of us who have lived & loved here. For that I am so grateful. This is the home where I learned to walk and talk and write and paint; where hundreds of games of jacks were played with my sister. This is the yard where I first tried my hand at gardening, the yard where loads and loads of laundry would be hung outside in the summer breeze to dry. The front stoop is here where my Dad would sit for hours seeing the comings & goings and chatting it up with neighbors. The kitchen is here where I learned to bake & cook alongside my Mom who has prepared about sixty-three thousand meals here. A childhood home is where your roots are; it is where the values you cultivated carry you through the rest of your life. I feel honored & blessed to have been a part of this neighborhood & community; this is where my lifelong friendships were cemented.

    I find comfort in knowing that my Mom is thriving and happy in her new home. So I can say without regret, thank you for the memories and shed a few tears but knowing that the past is now past. Now, with the confidence that such a childhood home provided me, I am forever sure that the present is a gift.

Millions of Possibilities!

    As 2015 begins its story in our lives, I want to point out an idea with millions of possibilities! These possibilities do not discriminate; even those with lives that are so busy and packed to the gills can reap the millions of them in each & every month...

    There is a mathematical theory, by now deceased Mathematician John Littlewood, called Littlewood's Law. In a nutshell it states that if you break each day into two second chunks, in about a month's time you will have experienced about a million of them. (based on the average person being awake and alert for 8 hours of each day). So you are blessed with a million opportunities for something amazing, wild, miraculous to happen. Steven Strogatz, PhD of Applied Mathematics at Cornell, states that this principle suggests that with enough chances, crazy coincidences are likely to occur. Littlewood himself speaks of what he called Miracle Math. He believes that every person would experience one miracle each month in his/her lifetime. He defined this miracle as something deemed to have special significance and occurring at the probability of one in a million.

   So now what do we do with this revelation? Well, I for one will jump for joy, then bring my awareness back to my typical day and the almost endless possibilities. I am always suggesting to dream big; here you go, mathematical proof that the possibilities in your day are plentiful beyond our reasoning minds! Your cup does runneth over with possibilities, with miracles that will blow you away. Keep all your senses alert & stay in the moment each second of each day (tall order I know). Use precious time to dream big & explore your possibilities. You don't want to miss a precious one...

             What a miraculous way to start a New Year!