Being Mindful

How much attention are you giving to your thoughts and actions at this moment? Last week I talked of being present; this week I am going to talk of being mindful.

Being mindful means intentionally focusing on your thoughts and actions. This means, for example, recognizing and acknowledging all the thoughts that come up while you perform a task. It means purposefully turning your attention inward and exploring where your head goes as you live through the day. Being mindful is being present with your mind, with your thoughts.

Sometimes we spend a large amount of time trying to turn off or alter our thoughts, criticizing our minds for thinking of (or not thinking of) specific things. This is fun to try, but inevitably ends in failure... thoughts just come up regardless of our attempts to stop them.

Other times we try to think of everything... the day is a continual barrage of important thought after important thought. For these times, not having enough thoughts or ideas feels like a problem that needs fixing. Much time is invested in thinking about things, analyzing whatever is currently the focus of attention.

Either way, the focus is not on the mind, but on some other thought. This is not mindfulness, this is just a full mind.

To be mindful, we must make the actual stream of thoughts the point of focus. This is to be done as an observer. The mind never seems to stop, it continually generates this monologue. If we open ourselves to observing and accepting the stream, we find a deeper sense of happiness.

What if the thoughts are 'bad' or undesired thoughts, though? For instance, what if our thoughts are telling us we are too much of something or not enough of something (too old, too young, not educated enough)? Well, an important point of mindfulness is that it is judgement-free. It is normal to have random thoughts. How you respond to those thoughts is worthy of judgement, the fact that those thoughts arise is uncontrollable in the instantaneous sense. With practice and training, you can alter the types of thoughts you generally have; however, at any given time, the next instant's thought is entirely out of your control. You may choose to ignore it, to not act on it, but the fact the thought exists is not to be criticized.

Mindful people, then, are extremely intimate with their stream of consciousness. They are comfortable with the thoughts they have and recognize them as just thoughts. These thoughts are not true or false, right or wrong, good or bad, they are just random thoughts. Each of them can be acted upon or acknowledged and disregarded.

And herein lies choice: we have the choice of how to respond to our thoughts. That choice, once we realize that we have it, is one of the fundamental keys to happiness.

Being mindful is knowing ourselves at a deeper level. It is enlightening and invigorating. Be mindful.

Other news

• A lot of words, not a lot being said: Will the ban boost public health? [news.bbc.co.uk]
• Just read what the team was working on before: Pill to make dieters 'feel full' [news.bbc.co.uk]
• Or you could just eat better: Shots may help you lose that pot belly: report [www.reuters.com]

From the editor

This week I am adjusting to the time change, as I returned to the United States a couple days ago. Between jet-lag and a million errands (roughly), I am keeping very of odd hours. Fortunately, I have plenty of energy, thanks to my diet and exercise habits. The better shape I keep myself in, the easier these trips become.

I would like to thank Melissa Wadsworth for quoting me in her newsletter recently. Melissa is an author, coach, and speaker who focuses on connecting our inner world with our outer world. If you are ever able to attend one of her sessions, you will be grateful for the opportunity.

I appreciate all the feedback I've received so far on the new website. Keep your opinions and suggestions coming; I may incorporate your idea, and I am always open to helpful feedback. Tell me how you think it could be better.

I expect to be in Anchorage in mid-August. I can conduct a wellness workshop for your group while I'm there. If you want to book, you need to do so ASAP, as I'll be completely unreachable for several weeks starting soon... more on that next week.

Healthy thoughts,
Jeff