in a world full of distractions
*Photo: practicing mindfulness by balancing on my hands, taking a quick yoga break from a busy day at the Hyde office.
One of my beloved teachers, Jenny Aurthur, told us a few months ago in a teacher training workshop that yoga is essentially a practice of being mindful in every moment.
Every single moment is tough to be fully aware of: when and how we cook or eat, get out of bed in the morning, get to work, type, work out, converse, breathe…
We do things many of these things on autopilot, especially if they are routine, and often just check out. Our brains may be in another universe, time zone, or lifetime while we’re actively engaging in whatever it is we’re doing. We’ve all been there, and that’s ok, but what can we learn from our mindless behaviors?
A prime example of this is an accident I had during grad school involving oatmeal and a microwave [back when I still owned and used one]. I had an early morning class and would routinely heat up oats before I raced to catch the bus. On a particularly hectic morning – without looking at or noticing what I was doing – I grabbed the searing hot bowl and burned the tips of almost all 10 fingers. I dropped the bowl and cursed loudly, my red puffy fingers then serving as a harsh reminder to pay attention.
There are plenty of tempting distractions that are constantly feeding disconnection with ourselves, others, nature, our community, and the world in general. We buy food without paying attention to the ingredients, we transition through yoga poses without bringing awareness to how our body is getting from one position to another, we have a conversations without being mindful of words and feelings, we look at our phones when we walk instead of the sunset.
It’s overwhelming to consider, but it’s imperative if we want to get live a truthful, meaningful life. Being more mindful can lead to deepening the connection to ourselves and others, less stress, and a greater sense of overall wellbeing. Who doesn’t want that?
Here are ways I cultivate mindfulness in as many moments as possible when I feel myself drifting:
- Reading the ingredients in the food I buy [and acting according to my values/well-being], and paying attention to the food I take home with me [making sure fresh greens and veggies outweigh packaged/processed products].
- Noticing where I put my hard-earned dollars: where and why I spend my money, who/what it goes towards, how I feel when spending [often guilty, which is a whole new egg to crack], etc.
- Coming back to my breath, even if it’s only for part of an inhale or exhale.
- Considering my words or pausing before I speak and react.
- Being aware of how I react – if the awareness happens afterwards, I try to check in with myself to see where it stemmed from and if it was true to my feelings and values.
- Listening, opening my ears, hearing the soles of my shoes hit the pavement when I walk and the noises in the courtyard outside my apartment, engaging in what someone is saying to me.
- Noticing what my body is doing, how it is doing it, and how it feels. This one can be a doozy, in a good way, and can teach us so much about ourselves if we are willing to learn.
How do you stay mindful in a world full of distractions?
Read my June 2.0 newsletter for a seriously delicious summer breakfast recipe, good music, and more.
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