Mindful March

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking out new landscapes but in having new eyes." -Marcel Proust

I love the month of March, because of spring! Daylight savings time begins again and we see daffodils and crocuses start popping up. We celebrate St. Patty's day!

I've found myself wanting to clear clutter from my home since the end of 2019. There is so much in my closets and cabinets so I have to start small. Yesterday, I cleared out one kitchen cabinet of old cups, plates, vases and mismatched pieces. Took them to the swap shop at our dump. I put old Rubbermaid containers that didn't have lids or had been used so much they were scratchy and cloudy into the recycling bin. Doing this, even that small amount made me feel so good. I'll keep doing this each week with focus so that I can feel free again.

Too often we get trapped in the cycles of constantly doing to feel stuck, like a hamster in the wheel going round and round. We then forget to notice what is happening all around us. Since I've started teaching yoga more regularly, group classes and private 1:1 sessions, I've lost touch with the inner workings of my house. The days fly by and I'm sapped after putting dinner together. I flop on the sofa and watch a mindless television show. You know the kind of days I’m talking about, where there are dental and doctor appointments for yourself, and your kids, getting to work (if that's what you do) grocery shopping to do, carpools, a workout to squeeze in, lunch with friends, then home to put dinner together and help with homework. Cramming it all in. Feeling depleted and stressed.

I'm learning more about mindfulness through teaching yoga. It’s that guiding force in finding peace and contentment when our lives are so busy. Mindfulness is a shift in our thinking where we start to see the world as it is, not as we expect it to be or how we want it to be. We learn to pay attention, in the present moment, on purpose. No judgment. We see the things in front of us as they actually are. The trees, houses, the sky and clouds and our own two feet.

Mindfulness is about observing our internal world without judgment. Noticing what is going on inside our mind and tuning in to the present moment. Mindfulness brings you back, again and again, to full attentive awareness. When you become more mindful, you bring your thoughts and actions back into alignment, rather than being constantly sidetracked by your constant thoughts and to do list. You get back in touch with your senses, so you can see, hear, smell, and taste things almost as if for the first time. You become deeply curious about the world around you again. This waking up to what's going on inside of you, and in the world, moment by moment begins to bring you a sense of peace and happiness to help you handle what life throws at you. It will help you with managing anxiety, stress, unhappiness and exhaustion.

One of my favorite ways to do this is by getting outside, going on a run or walk. Feeling and sensing the ground beneath my feet, noticing the colors of the houses along the road, feeling my breath as I move freely, allowing my thoughts to float through my mind and noticing the feelings I experience, looking up into the sky and noticing the white fluffy clouds. By the time I'm home again, my mind feels clear of the jumble and I have a better perspective of my day ahead.

Read more about how mindfulness can help and the benefits it brings in this article.