Realizing your mind has a mind of it’s own.. (again).

Mindfulness is something that you don’t do all at once, and it takes quite a bit of effort and discipline to be mindful more often than not. So as I sit at home on my Sunday evening, as I usually do I write out some intentions. It can be a to-do, to-pay, journal entry, a drawing but there is something about Sundays that requires me to be mindful of my life on Sundays.

This Sunday, I’ve decided to start (once again) on a 6 week mindfulness challenge. The more I do this, and the more disciplined I am about following through with it, the happier I am. I will let you know how the journey goes for myself, and hope that you’ll find it helpful or in the very least, amusing.

Source: Get Gone – Harumi Hironaka (This illustration looks how I can feel some mornings). Found this lovely illustrator artist here if you want to take a look at more.)

For those who aren’t familiar with it, no worries. There is no pass or fail. No pleasing anyone else. No matter what you do, you can’t go wrong! That’s one more great thing about it. Nothing special is required, no time, no stance, no equipment or special hip clothes. Just incorporate these exercises into your day.

So for the first week, it’s really about waking up and taking notice of all around you.

Mindfulness is all about accepting whatever is happening in the present moment.

We don’t realize how much we go through life on ‘auto-pilot’ as it’s a rather comfortable setting indeed. This first week of mindfulness is just about noticing when you are riding on ‘autopilot’. When do you find yourself zoning out? Take a mental note....

Here’s some ideas to get you started. Try them out this week. I’ll be writing them down, either on my phone or in a journal.

Mindful Ideas to Get Yourself Out of the Zone....

Set your intentions – This can be done in the evening before you go to sleep, or in the morning. The choice is yours! It can and perhaps at the beginning to be something simple.

‘Today, I won’t smoke more than five cigarettes.’

‘Tomorrow I will knock 5 things off my do list.’

Today, I will stop to be aware of my five senses, at least five times.

Wake up Mindfully – Taking advantage of that time right after waking up seems to be difficult to start, but all the more rewarding when you do. First start, but just noticing what your program is in the morning. The next evening, make a point to set the intention and wake up doing something out of your normal auto-pilot routine.

Connecting with Nature – The pyschological benefits of spending time in nature have been proven, and it doesn’t take much to understand why. The first step is just making a point to focus on the nature that is around you. Then, set the intention to connect with nature for at least ten minutes just appreciate the ground beneath your feet and the earth that surrounds you wherever you are.

Connecting with Other Energies– All this ‘me-me-me’....let’s look outside and around. Take a few minutes inside your day to first observe how you connect with the other beings occupying a place on Mother Earth.

Take and Do - A Different Way – Whether it be, the side you sleep on at night, the side of the street you always walk on, do it differently this week. Mix it up. Embrace what you are not expecting. Stop in the middle of your usual walk and just look around. Feel the ground beneath you, the people and animals around you. All you have to do is pay attention.

Any of these five practices attempted mean you are mindful, and you are doing it right. All practices share things, encouraging you to mix things up, and get out of your own head, by paying attention simply, observing, and finding a connection.

Good luck and look forward to hearing / feeling how it goes.

Peace, love and poo.