10 Keys to Happier Living - Awareness

"Yesterday is history,

Tomorrow is a mystery,

Today is a gift."

Awareness is about living life more mindfully.  Various forms of meditation have been part of faith communities for thousands of years; yet no doubt we're all aware of the recent upsurge in the practice of 'mindfulness'.  Whilst I personally don't believe in a practice that advocates the 'emptying our minds', I do believe that we can learn much from the practice of becoming more aware or 'mindful' of the moments and the situations we find ourselves in.  The here and now - those many beautiful, life-giving things that surround us yet we oh so easily forget or ignore.

In the book 'Purpose Driven Life, author Rick Warren says "If you know how to worry you already know how to meditate."  Worry is a mind focused on something negative; mindful meditation is the practice of paying attention to our bodies, our breathing, our emotions, God's creation, the sounds around us, etc.

Vanessa King says, "Through regular and intentional practice of mindfulness we become more mindful as a person (ie. more aware) - seeing more fully what is around us, noticing what is going on in our bodies and in our minds. It can also help us to tune in to other people. We notice things that we usually don't notice or take for granted. It can give us a greater sense of calm and spaciousness, help us manage our emotional reactions and breaking unhelpful thinking habits. We develop a different relationship to our thoughts and emotions, learning not to get caught up in them or take them as fact - understanding that they come and go."

In this information-overload society and culture in which we live, many of us live mind-full lives and we would do well to develop the practice of being more mindful. For many of us, even 10-15 minutes daily practice will produce benefits for our emotional and mental well-being.

There are a number of mindfulness/relaxation apps out there. These four have been recommended by one of our well-being advisors:

Are there points in your day that you could intentionally transform in to mindfulness moments?  When you first wake in the morning. When you clean your teeth or as you step out of your home into the fresh air.  Maybe on your drive to work or a 10-minute lunchtime walk. Why not spend this month exploring ways to punctuate the busyness of your day with time and space just for you and your own well-being.

Quotes taken from '10 Keys to Happier Living' by Vanessa King