Mindfulness

It has become the buzz word. Mindfulness. Is this another fad or is it something we need to pay mind to?

I attended a Social Emotional training back at the beginning of the school year by Keeth Matheny. It was a great session. The focus was about being mindful and in the present. Our district brought him back this past week. We had a choice to attend one of the three sessions being offered. The session was titled “If Happiness was a Skill.” I chose the last session of the day.

The first thing he had us do was mark our happiness at the moment on a scale. We were going to mark ourselves on the scale at end of the session too. At that point I inferred I would most likely leave this session with joy because this guy was about to take us on a ride. 

What I was affirmed with at the end of the class are in the list below. I say affirmed because I know these things. I’ve been in bits of practice with this since a year ago when I was in my Leadership class. One of the first topics covered during class was about how to leave work behind and get to enjoy your life with family. However, the lecture was one thing. Putting it into practice hasn’t quite shifted to habit just yet.  Here they are:

• Happiness is a decision.
• Our thoughts elicit emotion that creates our behaviors that impact our world.
• Be in the present.
• Savor your moments.
• Pause
• Multitasking isn’t real nor is it effective
• Technology is suppose to make work efficient but not keep you at work all the time. 

To be in the moment and happy with the place you are in is challenging for many people. We are always looking for the next best thing. The next best job, car, home, etc... that we forget that the moment we are in is something we most likely prayed for at one time. We expect the next thing to make us happy rather than being happy in the moment we are in.

My life experiences thus far have taught me how to see the bigger picture. It’s not about what the next day holds or where I will be in a year. What matters most is being happy in the moment you are living. What matters is today. 

How will I spend today living my best life?