http://www.danoah.com/2012/10/16-ways-i-blew-my-marriage.html
MINDFUL-MOD
A Modern Life for the Mindful…
Tag Archives: Mindfulness
There’s No Such Thing As An Uneventful Day…
“Not one day in anyone’s life is an uneventful day, no day without profound meaning, no matter how dull and boring it might seem, no matter whether you are a seamstress or a queen, a shoeshine boy, or a movie star, a renowned philosopher or a Down’s-syndrome child. Because in every day of your life, there are opportunities to perform little kin
dnesses for others, both by conscious acts of will and unconscious example. Each smallest act of kindness—even just words of hope when they are needed, the remembrance of a birthday, a compliment that engenders a smile—reverberates across great distances and spans of time, affecting lives unknown to the one whose generous spirit was the source of this good echo, because kindness is passed on and grows each time it’s passed, until a simple courtesy becomes an act of selfless courage years later and far away. Likewise, each small meanness, each thoughtless expression of hatred, each envious and bitter act, regardless of how petty, can inspire others, and is therefore the seed that ultimately produces evil fruit, poisoning people whom you have never met and never will. All human lives are so profoundly and intricately entwined—those dead, those living, those generations yet to come—that the fate of all is the fate of each, and the hope of humanity rests in every heart and in every pair of hands. Therefore, after every failure, we are obliged to strive again for success, and when faced with the end of one thing, we must build something new and better in the ashes, just as from pain and grief, we must weave hope, for each of us is a thread critical to the strength—to the very survival of the human tapestry. Every hour in every life contains such often-unrecognized potential to affect the world that the great days and thrilling possibilities are combined always in this momentous day.”
― Dean Koontz, From the Corner of His Eye
Be…
“You don’t have to let the surroundings and occurrences of your world bring you stress. You can choose to give them love and appreciation.
Instead of handing out judgments about every little frustration, annoyance and disturbance, you can exude peace and positive purpose.
Instead of letting life get to you, let real, authentic joy flow forth from you.
You are perfectly capable of being ever peaceful, even though you may not always be in peaceful surroundings. You are easily and naturally able to be continually positive, regardless of what may come your way.
The quality of your life in every moment is your decision. Peace is not a place or even an external condition, but a choice of how you are.
Let go of conflicting thoughts about how life is supposed to be.
Live life simply and purely as you choose to be.”
is your home making you happy?
Places have power—not only the physical power of sheer presence, but the emotional clout to alter our moods. Of course, the converse is also true: We have power over places. If we don’t take advantage of that fact, we’re squandering a major opportunity to bring positive energy into our lives. What luck, then, that you happen to know the world’s leading authority on creating an environment that nurtures your most contented self: you. By tapping your instincts and noting your reactions, you can begin to create a home that will make you happier—right now.
Take a Virtual House-Tour
To begin, grab a pen and print out this worksheet. Then picture yourself heading home after a day of working, attending yoga class, or whatever. Your house is in its usual state of orderliness—or disarray—though at the moment no one else is home. As you imagine walking up to your front door, notice your mood. Are you feeling tense or relaxed? Are you happy—or anxious, angry, or depressed? As you walk in, do you feel relief, excitement, anxiety, dread, joy, or despair? Briefly describe your feelings below.
Continue to pay attention to your emotional reactions as you visualize entering the house. Envision yourself touching the wall to your right and walking through your entire home. This “hands-on” approach will help you to remember to visit spaces you might skip if you merely formed a mental picture of each room. We tend to forget about places that make us feel uncomfortable; the discipline of mental wall-touching ensures you’ll include them. Continue reading
More Life Lessons…
I love the following life lessons & wanted to share these with you; they come from a book I’ve been reading entitled Lean Forward into Your Life: Begin Each Day As If It Were on Purpose by Mary Ann Radmacher…
How is it that one is able to articulate the landscape of the spirit? The geography of the heart is understood and seen in ways which are, essentially, ineffable. Such understanding is a journey, a discovery, a joy: peculiar and particular. In our spirits’ holy night sky we come to know the singular beauty and magic that is our own music.
What is mindfulness?
“I like Jon Kabat-Zinn’s definition of mindfulness.
“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way;
On purpose,
in the present moment and
nonjudgementally.”
Kabat-Zinn, if you haven’t heard of him, is a famous teacher of mindfulness meditation and the founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
Paying attention “on purpose”
First of all, mindfulness involves paying attention “on purpose”. Mindfulness involves a conscious direction of our awareness. We sometimes (me included) talk about “mindfulness” and “awareness” as if they were interchangeable terms, but that’s not a good habit to get into. I may be aware I’m irritable, but that wouldn’t mean I was being mindful of my irritability. In order to be mindful I have to be purposefully aware of myself, not just vaguely and habitually aware. Knowing that you are eating is not the same as eating mindfully.
The exhaustion cure
Are you feeling stressed, fatigued, and burned out? Discover the top 10 ways to put a stopper in your personal energy drains
Consider this simple question: How are you?
We answer it 10 times a day, often rejoining with a clipped “Fine” or “Busy!” accompanied by a glazed smile. But when your best friend or spouse asks, perhaps you tell the deeper truth: You’re stressed out and tired. Really tired.
Mantra’s
If I could choose only one mantra to cling to for the rest of my days, this would be it!
Overcoming Procrastination: 6 Steps to Getting It Done
If you are like me you have found yourself putting off things to do that you know would be good to get done. We procrastinate on exercise, getting the taxes done, cleaning the house, making that phone call and getting our work done. You tell yourself, “I know I should do it,” but you seem to come up with a million great excuses for not doing it. Then you find yourself criticizing yourself for not getting it done. The next day the cycle starts again — “It would be great to get it done,” “I have other things to do,” “It’s too unpleasant,” or “I just don’t want to do it.”
10 Thoughts on Whole Living
Thriving
1. Just as a seed contains all it needs to sprout, so are you already equipped to thrive.
Growth
2. You can’t grow without pushing your limits.
Lessons
3. See your mistakes not as personal flaws, but as the source of your most valuable life lessons.
Empowerment
4. Think of money as energy; use it to empower, not control, your life.
Resilience
5. Every moment of suffering brings an opportunity to build resilience
Rewards
6. With each challenge comes new growth. Engage in rewarding efforts.
Focus
7. Missteps are part of any process. Stay focused on where you’re headed.
Direction
8. Find your direction in life by looking where you want to go, not where you don’t.
Worth
9. Know your worth — and accept nothing less.
Dreams
10. Make this the day you stop dreaming and start doing.
