Mindfulness Monday: Exercise #1

As life continues to progress at startling speed, I reflect on this past year and I am struck. With awe.

As of January 2011... my brother-in-law was diagnosed with brain cancer, moved in with us and died in our arms. My step-son married. Now, he and his bride are expecting their first child. My husband is retiring from his 35 years as a firefighter. My eldest step-son became a Police Officer. Our Aunt "Sissy" suffered a stroke (she's OK now).

If it weren't for life altering, big-deal moments in life, I question whether or not I have yet learned to stop, breathe and experience life. My tendency has been to go on 'auto-pilot' until I receive a proverbial slap-in-the-face. I have been on 'auto-pilot' for several months now and I don't like it. It interferes with my creativity.

I'm back now.

Listening to NPR on my way to work one Sunday Morning, I learned of a book that had my name written all over it..."How to Train A Wild Elephant and Other Adventures In Mindfulness" by Jan Chozen Bays. The gist of the book surrounds training yourself to learn "simple daily mindfulness practices for living life more fully and joyfully"

Bear with me as I share some of 'mindfulness' practices with you. Maybe you will become more 'mindful' along with me.
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This week, my mission will be to use my non-dominant hand as much as possible. I am to place a band-aid on my dominant hand as a reminder...I'll let you know how it works for me...