Mindfulness seems to be all the rage at the moment. Interestingly enough Mister Husband and I had
a chat over the weekend (or rather, I did all the talking and he listened)
about how we are living in a fast and furious world. Everything has to be now and no-one has time
anymore for the simple things in life.
That’s what mindfulness is; finding the calm and stability
in our busy lives both for ourselves and with others. Trying not to sweat the small stuff, taking a
large(ish) step back and seeing. Really
seeing.
It all sounds so New Age and faddish but when was the last
time you stared off into space and genuinely blocked everything out. Even if it was only for two minutes before
someone brought you back down to earth with a demand for sandwich or a request
for help with homework.
Without even realising it, you were practising mindfulness. You were so lost in the moment that you zoned
out.
Some people practise mindfulness by meditating but if I am
to be completely honest and speaking solely for myself, that isn’t something I
can get completely on board with. I am
going to trot out the usual “I don’t have time” excuse even though you can,
with a bit of practise, mediate several times a day for as little as five
minutes at a time.
I do like the
sound of meditation but I think in order to be mindful, we need to find
something that works for us as an individual rather than what the magazine
article or Facebook page dictates. I
think that’s the neat thing about it; it isn’t a one size fits all model, mindfulness
can be tweaked and adapted to suit your own needs.
Let’s be upfront about something. When you’ve got small kids it can be almost
impossible to finish a cup of coffee or visit the bathroom alone. Trying to be mindful in an allocated space of
time can be farcical to say the least so here’s my take on it.
I think it can be as basic as enjoying the simple everyday
things. So, what are the things you enjoy
on a daily basis? Those few minutes
first thing in the morning when you wake up but want to stay there just a
little bit longer? That stretch before
your feet touch the floor? The first cup
of coffee of the day? Maybe it’s that
half hour alone before the kids wake up?
Your eleven o’clock coffee? A
glass of wine with your evening meal?
Reading the headlines when the kids are in school? Using a favourite moisturiser after a shower? Going for a walk or a run? A cappuccino after the school run? Your favourite soap on TV?
The list is endless. But
whatever it is you enjoy doing, take your time and really enjoy it.
And make sure you take that time for yourself. Every
day. Not just when you can fit it
in.
Only you can mind your mindfulness.