The gift of mindfulness; the path to happiness.

The gift of mindfulness; the path to happiness.

We live in a crazy, busy world. And it's hard to be happy when everything rushes by so fast and furiously. 

But there's no doubt we can still enjoy happiness; and one way to enjoy happiness is to create our worlds so that we eliminate much of the craziness. 

How do we get rid of all those distractions and negative news reports (just to name two of the many potential causes of misery)? 

Well, we can't "get rid" of much that's out there but we can train our brains to focus more on that which is helpful; on that which brings us more joy and happiness. 

The answer, more and more experts are arguing, is mindfulness and this article from the Huffington Post outlines how we can use mindfulness to bring about more happiness. If that sounds good then keep reading…

by Susie Wolbe

The plans are made; everybody's going to be there. And then, right before the big event, the phone call comes. "There is a glitch; the guy has a conflict."

What?!

My first reaction to this call was to send an upset, possibly angry, email. An email…not a phone call. Not a FaceTime session. Why? Because we somehow feel able to say things in an email that we would never say face-to-face.

Is that a clue? A hint? Maybe this realization should have been the first sign that I was getting ready to do something that was beyond the boundaries of my value system.

A few years ago I would have sent the email. In fact, I did send the email. In more than one instance and to more than one person. In both personal and business settings. And it was a bad idea every single time, and ones for which I paid a heavy price in each and every instance.

The difference between then and now is that I am able to take a thoughtful pause. I am able to stop… breathe… calm… cry and wipe away the tears, if tears are necessary, and move forward in a much more thoughtful way.

Thank you, mindfulness. Thank you, Mindful Schools. Thank you, Power of Self Program. Thank you to every single person and group who helped me learn tools to release the negativity and find my way back to my real self.

I was always there; I just got lost somewhere along the way. I had let all the small upsets build up. I had kept my feelings bottled up inside, smothered, until my thoughts shifted from thinking "it" wasn't such a big deal, to feeling that others didn't think my feelings mattered. And, from there, to believing that "they" thought I didn't matter. I was invisible.

Well, I wasn't invisible then. And I'm not invisible now. I found tools that helped me, and they can help you, too.

  • Start your day with at least 10 minutes of quiet mindfulness. Breathe deeply, stretch, and get your body moving and awake. Let your day begin with the intention to live each day with a positive attitude and gratitude for each of the gifts in your life…

…keep reading the full & original article HERE