Tripping On Mindfulness

One of the ironies of mindfulness is that it’s still possible to be forgetful, klutzy, or even distracted while doing our best to pay attention.

Why? We are choosing where to focus and so there are, by necessity, bits of information that aren’t getting the full laser treatment. It’s simply not possible to be mindful of everything all at once.

That’s the beauty of it.

You can shine your mental high beams on, say, fully connecting with every person you talk to today. While being very aware of your interactions with others, you might trip on the edge of the carpet.

Mind Power Games

Want a fun way to tune up your brain? Why not use some classic mind games to help you increase your brainpower and get you out of your thinking “ruts.” Good mind games habituate you to using creative problem solving as a normal part of thinking about things.

One lateral thinking puzzle you can try right now involves nine dots, layed out three by three. You have to connect them all with four straight lines, and without lifting the pen or pencil from the paper. Figure this one out and you’ll appreciate the expression “thinking outside of the box.”

Mastering Mindfulness

I’m lucky.

When I was fifteen, I was the sole survivor in one of those horrific car accidents involving a bunch of teens, lots of alcohol, and late-night fast driving. While the driver and other passengers were killed instantly when our car hit a tree on a drizzly summer night, I had the most powerful experience of my life.

I felt myself being lifted lightly, and it seemed as though I was actually caressed by a loving presence. I remember feeling soothed, comforted, and cherished. I didn’t want it to end.

Dialing M For Mindfulness

Looking for mindfulness? Who ya gonna call?

Try dialing M.

It’s easy to be mindful. It’s just hard to remember to be mindful. That’s why it’s so important to pick our triggers.

Here’s a great trigger for mindfulness–the letter M. It’s soothing to say: “Mmmmmmm.” Add an H and you’re thinking: “Hmmmmm.” Add an O and you’re chanting: “Ommmmmmm.” It’s hard to go wrong with M.

Okay, but in the course of your day, with all the M-words you hear, say and see, how can you possibly remember to be mindful each time? You can’t. That’s why you need to choose ONE M for your mindfulness trigger, and here’s the perfect one: the McDonald’s Golden Arches.

Mindfulness - You’re Soaking In It

Perhaps you remember Madge the Manicurist, a television commercial character who commiserates with her clients about their chapped hands. While she is filing the nails of one hand, she conspiratorially confides that her client is actually soaking her other hand in Palmolive dishwashing liquid. After all, “It softens hands while you do the dishes.”

It was a memorable pitch–good visual, element of surprise, great what-it-will-do-for-you line. That commercial, in several variations, ran for nearly thirty years. Jan Miner, the actress who played Madge, died earlier this year at the age of 86, but her persona lives on.

Mindfulness and Creativity - The Wow Of Wonder

You are so creative.

Don’t deny it. Whether or not you consider yourself a creative type, the truth is that you are constantly creating ideas.

Mindfulness invites you to be aware of this constantly flowing river, and offers an opportunity to choose to sit beside it instead of swimming in it. By watching the ideas from that calm riverbank, you can more clearly see the ones that float to the top and sparkle in the sun.

Mind Power Through Mindfulness

Basic mindfulness exercises put you in a state of awareness where distractions are let go, and your mind power is able to function more effectively. They help you think more clearly and concentrate better. They are also easy exercises to do.

More Mind Power in Minutes
A basic mindfulness exercise starts with sitting down, relaxing and breathing deeply through your nose. Close your eyes and be aware of your breath going in and out. After a minute, move your attention to your body, one part at a time, noting sensations of cold, hot, tight, sore and  anything else you identify. In a few minutes, start listening to sounds in the room, without thinking about them. Just listen.