Pay attention, on purpose

So many people come to see me and say: I know I should meditate and it’s so bad but I just can’t and I know that’s terrible!

[Or something along those lines].

Meditative practice has so many widely documented benefits. And if you’re practicing regularly, then that is terrific. But thinking you should and then feeling bad about it about it is never going to deliver anything great.

Mindfulness can be understood as: paying attention, on purpose and without judgement, to the moment, as it unfolds.

Instead of beating yourself up about your failure to meditate, why not start with small moments of anchored mindfulness, each day.

You could try it while washing your hands. As you wash, focus your attention on what you’re doing: the movement of your hands; the smell of the soap; the feel on your fingers; the sounds of the water. Just notice. Pay attention, on purpose and without judgement. 

Once you’re hand-washing mindfully, you can shift your attention to another regular activity. Soon you’ll have moments of mindfulness anchoring you, through your days.

Tags: career-coaching, life-coaching, Melbourne