At the same time as I’m focussing on specific actions, endeavoring to be aware of my surroundings and activities. I managed this off and on for most of 25 minutes on the way to an appointment this afternoon. I kept pulling myself back from various contemplations to enjoy the trees and to keep from rear-ending the jerky driver in front of me; I paid attention to the physicality of driving, doing all the correct stuff such as looking into the mirrors regularly and feeling my hands on the steering wheel.
For those moments when I achieved both goals, I was not anxious at all. So that’s how I’m going to handle change and comfort my anxieties. Mindful Awareness. Can’t hurt.
This is sheer and complete brilliance. It is similar to how I started my first Change The Brain project. Mine was (are you ready for it?).... to think and live with as much of a postive slant as I could possibly accomplish.
ReplyDeleteI love this.
Julie
Wow, this seems like a wonderful thing. I don't think I could do it, but...wow. I hope it works for you, Skye.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie. Given how I've let my mind slide over the past few years, my mental muscles are soft and flabby. Hanging onto one thing for any length of time more than about 10 seconds is hard. I keep realizing my mind has gone somewhere else. Especially during driving, which I did into the city and back, today. LOTS of practice.
ReplyDeleteDelia: anyone can do this. There is a book that talks about it called The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. Awesome book. Thin, not too much stuff. It's simply something you practice. When I did before, it was amazing how calm I felt and how much I could do.
Interestin'! (she said as she put music back on while reading)
ReplyDeleteMabel: it depends on the music. Are you listening to loud, hard rock, or are you listening to something more ambient? Which are you paying attention to, or are you trying to split your attention. When I'm practicing my Mindful moments, I let myself stay aware of my surroundings, the sound of the traffic or the voices outside, or the AC compressors that are next to my first floor deck (the downside of being on the 1st floor). I'd have no problem listening to ambient music and doing anything else Mindfully. Awareness is part of it. That book describes it way better than I can.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about being Mindful of what I'm doing it as I'm doing is is that I don't forget whether or not I locked the door to my apartment or my car. I don't forget whether or not unplugged something. Because I was paying complete attention to that task, my mind knows it was completed and no longer has to fret. It's calming, if only in small moments about small things, because that's all I can manage to do it with at this ... moment. :)
I have a HUGE problem with this, too often when driving i'll arrive at my destination and have no idea how I actually got there.
ReplyDeleteI;m going to try this mindful thing tomorrow.
Kriss: I'd love to hear how this works for you, if it does. I keep forgetting. So remembering is part of the battle.
ReplyDelete