Mindfulness; What’s around you?

“Aware of your surroundings”.  The environments that you allow yourself to be in will shape your thoughts and how you feel. If you continue to be in a supportive environment, you will become a supportive person, equally if you are regularly in a destructive environment, you will start to become destructive.

When I go for a walk, I enjoy brushing my fingers over the leaves on the different trees. Some are soft, others are spikey, and others are rigid and sharp. The different leaf textures inspire an emotional response in me and make me think differently. I can go from thinking about relaxing thoughts to remembering difficult times in my life or challenges and obstacles that I had to overcome. As I am mindful of what’s around me it is reminding me of the kind of person I am or have been.

“A touch can inspire a thought”

Becoming mindful is not complicated but it does require intentionality and practice. The idea that you can show up in or be in a given environment or situation and not be aware of how that affects you, is a very daunting thought.

To be more mindful start listening to your 5 senses more,

·       Touch

·       Sight

·       Hearing

·       Smell

·       Taste

Senses are there to send messages to the brain to help you perceive the world around you.

A lot of your innate and automatic  behaviours will be stimulated by your senses. Think about how you can sharpen your senses and help them be more responsive and intentional.

·       Touch: Touch different textures and think about how that makes you feel

·       Sight: Look in new places and think about what new things you see

·       Hearing: Listen beyond the white noise and identify specific sounds and what can you hear

·       Smell: Intentionally smell, fresh brewed coffee, cut grass and other light scented things

·       Taste:  Identify flavours as you eat your food, try new foods and tastes to widen your palate

Using your senses more frequently in an intentional way will increase your awareness, mindfulness, and appreciation of life and your place in it. All of your senses are designed to make you think about something, so don’t let those opportunities pass by because of distractions.

 My 5 Learnings:

·       My surroundings will shape me and eventually define me

·       Becoming mindful will help me be less distracted and more focused

·       To become mindful, I need to be more thoughtful in situations

·       Sharpening my 5 senses will help me in becoming more mindful

·       My senses are designed to stimulate a thought response

 Remember to identify one sense and start to be more intentional with it. Then as you use it more, identify how it makes you think and feel.

My 3 Questions for you:

·       Where are you the most aware?

·       Which sense would help you to be more mindful?

·       How can you behave differently by what you feel and think ?

“Many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive.” - Thích Nhất Hạnh

 If you need help with mindfulness, or if you have questions, please talk to me. I would be happy to chat with you and help.

 Remember daily to, “Find value in your influence”

Written By: Paul Fawcett.