Are any of these scenarios particularly relatable? You:
Buy a snack from the vending machine and are surprised to see you’ve scarfed down half of it by the time you reach your desk.
Listen to an acquaintance chat about his kid’s soccer game for 5 minutes then realize you have NO idea what you just heard him say.
Grab your cell to Google ticket prices to Paris and 20 minutes of scrolling later forget what caused you to pick up your phone in the first place?
Now obviously, these are small examples that may merely show a little slide into relaxation mode in relatively unimportant moments. But if these scenes sound robustly familiar, there’s a good chance you could use a bit more mindfulness and intention in your life.
WHAT MINDFUL AND INTENTION REALLY MEAN
Being mindful in our approach means we’re paying attention and are aware of what we’re experiencing in a given moment. Being intentional means whatever action we’re taking is on purpose with priorities in mind vs drifting through our days on autopilot.
It took a total reevaluation of my life to move away from drifting along on autopilot and toward enjoying a mindful, intention experience.
FROM FOGGY TO FOCUSED
About 10 years ago I was in a great but high pressure job and had experienced the passing of too many loved ones within a few short years. I was lacking focus and purpose, and was full of anxiety.
Fortunately, I discovered yoga and mindfulness, and threw myself into learning whatever I could about them. I began meditating on a regular basis, and soon my stress levels fell dramatically.
I felt much more in control of my reactions, and I began to take things more in stride. I started to look at my life in a more balanced way and set out to create a vision for how I wished to experience multiple aspects of it.
I started teaching at Indiana University, where I created a course called career success preparation. I developed a mindfulness-infused methodology called The Love Monday Method, and one of the activities that falls early in the process is called the Wheel of Life.