I'm 6 days into my mindfulness quest. It's a quest because it has a clear finish line and I hope to discover something about myself or perhaps some hidden treasure.
The concept of mindfulness was introduced to me by a counselor in 2015. She guided me through meditations and taught me all about affirmations (which never really caught on with me if I'm being honest). I sometimes use the meditations to help me sleep. The thought of focusing on my limbs and body parts one by one and relaxing them starting at my toes is a good way to get my body into a relaxed state and calm my mind down. So, I can't really say that I've never meditated and I think I may be better at it than I originally thought. I've never made it a daily habit, and that's the big difference. I think a daily practice would have such a positive impact on my life, mood, and interactions.
Knitting is an extremely mindful activity. Having the privilege of focusing on my hands and letting the rest of my thoughts go is relieving in a way. So much so that when I actually have to knit something like a shop sample or a custom order it's hard to feel productive. Sometimes I actually avoid the project even though I'm being paid because it feels so much like leisure. Then, I think, "Wait! I need to get this DONE. This is a real job!" and I always do it. That's very indicative of the way I feel about work, I suppose. Like, if I enjoy it, it can't possibly be something I should be doing. Right?
Being mindful is also a daily practice that can be used multiple times in a day to help bring yourself back down to earth when things get stressful or you find yourself falling into the pit of your thoughts. "Being present" is what they call it and the idea is to focus on being in the present moment, your body pumping blood, breathing, twitching. You can watch your thoughts race by, greet them, and let them pass. This is an incredibly effective method of stress relief that I do not use often enough. I'm hoping to practice mindfulness more often without even thinking about it. To be able to allow myself to succumb to my own inner peace easily and without hesitation.
Like I mentioned, I'm hoping to find some hidden treasures along the way in my mindfulness quest. Maybe after the 66 days are up in my meditation journal, I will explore other creative ways to practice mindfulness. I already tried the coloring books. Not for me. Drawing, however would be a good mindfulness practice. Taking care of my plants could be turned into a time of active meditation and mindfulness. I'm excited to see where this takes me.
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