One of the best bits of advice I've received, and sometimes the most difficult to follow, is just to remember to stop and smell the roses.
Our lives are what we make of them. If you want to have a joyful life then be sure to fill your time with people and tasks that you enjoy.
Just have a bit of fun every day and it will be easier to keep on smiling!
Showing posts with label Gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gratitude. Show all posts
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A Little Something About “Mindfulness Meditation”
Mindfulness Meditation, for me, is about living in the now. I think that the phrase “being present” seems to capture its essence.
Living in the “now” is something I’ve always found difficult to do. My life seems to be either directed towards what has happened, my past, or what is about to happen, my future. There are only selective activities that I partake in that engulf me so thoroughly that I am truly focused on the present.
When one engages in Mindfulness Meditation, you are tuning into what is happening around you, and yes, even to you. It is as simple as becoming more aware of the feeling of your lungs expanding as you suck air into your body with each breath you take in, and then experiencing its opposite, the feeling of contraction as the breath is pushed out by your diaphragm. You are conscious and aware of yourself and your surroundings including everything that you see, hear and feel. You use your mind to focus on what you might normally have experienced only at a subconscious level. You attend to every moment without judgment.
The prelude in my life to this form of meditation arise from activities that consume me to the point that I can only focus on the moment. They include golfing, bowling, camping, problem solving and, I was surprised when, arguing, came to mind too. There are probably many more, but these are some of the most consistent. They are the ones that need my total concentration to perform. And certainly, the level of interest I bring to an activity ensures that my mind is less likely to wander off, too. For me, these are good exercises in helping me achieve a state of “being” – just living in the moment.
I have friends who seem to have no trouble living in the present. They have my sincere admiration. For me, I’m still learning to enjoy the ride.
Living in the “now” is something I’ve always found difficult to do. My life seems to be either directed towards what has happened, my past, or what is about to happen, my future. There are only selective activities that I partake in that engulf me so thoroughly that I am truly focused on the present.
When one engages in Mindfulness Meditation, you are tuning into what is happening around you, and yes, even to you. It is as simple as becoming more aware of the feeling of your lungs expanding as you suck air into your body with each breath you take in, and then experiencing its opposite, the feeling of contraction as the breath is pushed out by your diaphragm. You are conscious and aware of yourself and your surroundings including everything that you see, hear and feel. You use your mind to focus on what you might normally have experienced only at a subconscious level. You attend to every moment without judgment.
The prelude in my life to this form of meditation arise from activities that consume me to the point that I can only focus on the moment. They include golfing, bowling, camping, problem solving and, I was surprised when, arguing, came to mind too. There are probably many more, but these are some of the most consistent. They are the ones that need my total concentration to perform. And certainly, the level of interest I bring to an activity ensures that my mind is less likely to wander off, too. For me, these are good exercises in helping me achieve a state of “being” – just living in the moment.
I have friends who seem to have no trouble living in the present. They have my sincere admiration. For me, I’m still learning to enjoy the ride.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Be Grateful And More Will Follow
I'm always amazed and excited when I have an "Aha" moment in my life and it just makes me want to share it with everyone I know. Guess what. I had one just the other day, so here goes.
Let me set the stage first... Now that I'm retired, I'm living on a budget for what seems to be the very first time in my life. Before retirement, I had enough money to cover my spending habits - never tracking my spending closely but always living within our means and setting something aside for those rainy days. We were quite successful at applying these guidelines - but now that the equity markets are down and the interest rates are low - I have limited means of replenishing any monies that I spend. Naturally, not wanting to go through my savings too quickly, I'm constantly evaluating my spending based on necessity and the elusive "fun" factor associated with my spending (am I getting enough pleasure from what I buy).
Okay, with the stage now set, here's the story.
I like to meditate on topics that I want an inspired solution for. Recently, I've been meditating on how I can bring in more money. My "Aha" came when I recognize that the universe had already been providing me with what I wanted - in small ways. Looking over the things on my desk, I noticed that I had all kinds of money just waiting to be received by me. To start, I had a $50 manufacturer's rebate to mail in; next, there were a bunch of health care receipts to submit to my group health provider for refund; and lastly, I already had a Group Health Care cheque to deposit for dental care already received and paid for. These items had been sitting around for awhile - going unnoticed and therefore their value being under appreciated by me.
It's like a light came on for me. I immediately dealt with these things and guess what ... more followed.
The first was an offer to stay for free in Mexico with an old friend and his wife at their timeshare. As you can recognize, free is always good when you're retired - it equates to saving money. This was particularly neat since we had been talking about some sort of vacation down south in either January or February earlier.
Next, I wanted to acknowledge the loss of my friend's mother by gifting her Rona Maynard's book about Mothers and Daughters. I had a particularly hectic day planned and as I was about to walk out the door got the notion to jump online and arm myself with some price checking before I left to get my actual shopping done. I couldn't believe it - 83% off. I picked up the book for $5.99 plus $10.00 to cover shipping costs. Later that day, I thought the price was so good, I should pick up another copy - no such luck - sold out. I couldn't believe that just an impulse to go online at just the right time saved me about $35 - very exciting.
My last little tale is about saving $200 at Canadian Tire. It's Saturday and my husband tells me that we missed a great sale. When I asked him to explain, he says a tool he has wanted to pick up is on sale - the sale started yesterday, however, and he figures they'll be sold out by now. Needing to return a couple of items, I told him that I would check for him. I won't go into all the details, but it was like one had been put away for me and was just waiting for pick-up. My shopping experience kept leading me to helpful store clerks who first located a store that hadn't yet run out of the tool, and then, once at the store, helped me locate the item - a small supply still left undiscovered in the storage area. It felt like a tag team effect going from one store clerk to the next ending with me getting the tool handed to me.
For most of my life, I have believed in a friendly and generous universe that is here to support us. I have recognized for myself that I often take things for granted - especially if they are routine or small. I sometimes forget that an attitude of gratefulness keeps the energies of abundance flowing my way. I sense that this was a nudge to remind me.
Let me set the stage first... Now that I'm retired, I'm living on a budget for what seems to be the very first time in my life. Before retirement, I had enough money to cover my spending habits - never tracking my spending closely but always living within our means and setting something aside for those rainy days. We were quite successful at applying these guidelines - but now that the equity markets are down and the interest rates are low - I have limited means of replenishing any monies that I spend. Naturally, not wanting to go through my savings too quickly, I'm constantly evaluating my spending based on necessity and the elusive "fun" factor associated with my spending (am I getting enough pleasure from what I buy).
Okay, with the stage now set, here's the story.
I like to meditate on topics that I want an inspired solution for. Recently, I've been meditating on how I can bring in more money. My "Aha" came when I recognize that the universe had already been providing me with what I wanted - in small ways. Looking over the things on my desk, I noticed that I had all kinds of money just waiting to be received by me. To start, I had a $50 manufacturer's rebate to mail in; next, there were a bunch of health care receipts to submit to my group health provider for refund; and lastly, I already had a Group Health Care cheque to deposit for dental care already received and paid for. These items had been sitting around for awhile - going unnoticed and therefore their value being under appreciated by me.
It's like a light came on for me. I immediately dealt with these things and guess what ... more followed.
The first was an offer to stay for free in Mexico with an old friend and his wife at their timeshare. As you can recognize, free is always good when you're retired - it equates to saving money. This was particularly neat since we had been talking about some sort of vacation down south in either January or February earlier.
Next, I wanted to acknowledge the loss of my friend's mother by gifting her Rona Maynard's book about Mothers and Daughters. I had a particularly hectic day planned and as I was about to walk out the door got the notion to jump online and arm myself with some price checking before I left to get my actual shopping done. I couldn't believe it - 83% off. I picked up the book for $5.99 plus $10.00 to cover shipping costs. Later that day, I thought the price was so good, I should pick up another copy - no such luck - sold out. I couldn't believe that just an impulse to go online at just the right time saved me about $35 - very exciting.
My last little tale is about saving $200 at Canadian Tire. It's Saturday and my husband tells me that we missed a great sale. When I asked him to explain, he says a tool he has wanted to pick up is on sale - the sale started yesterday, however, and he figures they'll be sold out by now. Needing to return a couple of items, I told him that I would check for him. I won't go into all the details, but it was like one had been put away for me and was just waiting for pick-up. My shopping experience kept leading me to helpful store clerks who first located a store that hadn't yet run out of the tool, and then, once at the store, helped me locate the item - a small supply still left undiscovered in the storage area. It felt like a tag team effect going from one store clerk to the next ending with me getting the tool handed to me.
For most of my life, I have believed in a friendly and generous universe that is here to support us. I have recognized for myself that I often take things for granted - especially if they are routine or small. I sometimes forget that an attitude of gratefulness keeps the energies of abundance flowing my way. I sense that this was a nudge to remind me.
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