We’re busy… too busy?
It’s very possible it’s just me….. but I don’t think so. I get all tied up in a life full of giving bits of me, my energy, my thinking, and my time out to others. I do so willingly (I love it, you know I do) and when something extra shows up I choose to cram that in too.
Then a couple of years ago I welcomed something new in, an act of stopping. Stopping to simply be present within the dizziness of it all. It was (and sometimes still is) an alien act, one that originally felt like it was in some way a disservice to all the people I surround myself with, something that I worried might distract me from all the things I had to too. Something I just didn’t have time for. Until of course I did it and recognised the phenomenal power of resting my mind and actually noticing, with clarity, what I was about, why I was ‘full’ and how to quickly re-energise.
Mindfulness. It’s the idea of being aware and calm, paying attention to the present moment. This simple habit of meditative thinking came easier than I would ever have anticipated. Over time it’s moved up the ranks to a habit which I consciously prioritise over others and it never lets me down.
Think of it as full reboot of your mind. As someone who would never reboot her pc - because ‘hibernating’ felt safer and was quicker - I realised that’s how I was treating my mind too, never really noticing what was ‘open’ and paying attention to it, even if only to close it down.
I can confidently share, maybe contrary to popular belief, that mindfulness via meditation is not….
- A practice reserved for that certain kind of person (enter here any stereotype or visual which is coming up for you).
- Falling asleep.
- About brainwashing or therapy.
- Something which culminates in you chanting nor becoming spaced out, nor sitting in the lotus posture on the floor (unless of course you wish to and then you’re very welcome to).
So…how would I describe it?
…..in blogging about this I’ve learned describing it is a little harder than doing it!…. Here’s what I’ve got to….
A simple technique of meditative thinking. A time to breathe deeply, be still, relax and increase your awareness of a peaceful presence within you.
When we restore the calmness we can effortlessly let go of things to allow our most resourceful state to surface. Where meditation is the process, mindfulness the outcome.
If you’re left curious at all after this blog then contact us. I’m also writing about the importance of mindfulness in leadership and business, it’s starting to gain a footing, don’t be the last to know. www.elevateassociates.co.uk
