The Revolutionary Act of Being Aware

Being too busy for friends, exercise, contemplation or play; filling time with mindless distractions, stress eating or drinking, living ‘from the neck up’…this has become the way of life for many. You’ve heard of job burnout, but do you have ‘life burnout?’

Slow down and become present for your life. Feel the splash of cool water on your face in the morning. Take in the beautiful color and texture of the piece of fruit you are about to eat. Taste the sweetness on your tongue. Take time to look into someone eyes. Feel the ease in your body as you breathe deeply, or exchange a smile or kindness with another person.

There are a thousand micro-moments a day that go by unnoticed because of constant chatter of the mind. That’s what the mind does. But the beauty is, as human beings we have a radical *superpower* -- the ability to direct our attention. When we attend to the present moment, we feel more alive in our body, are in touch with our feelings, see our moment to moment choices more clearly, are able to better access our hearts and our wisdom, and to truly connect with others.

Becoming more aware of thoughts, feelings, sensations and impulses is a simple, but revolutionary act. Start slow and see what unfolds…

Mindfulness Walk: Take 15-30 minutes to go outside in your neighborhood or a park. Remind yourself this is your time to set everything else aside and just ‘be.’ Walk slowly, take your time, avoiding evaluating anything. Simply take everything in with your senses. Notice the texture of bark of trees, the colors and shapes of flowers, the surface of brick, the fall of light and shadow on houses or branches or stones. Listen to the birds and other sounds, touch and feel the texture of things, and yes, smell the flowers.