We live in such a harried and hurried society that people have lost all sense of what is important. And many are looking or ways to re-connect with their purpose. There's a lot of talk these days about a concept called mindfulness. At first thought it might sound like an eastern mysticism concept, and it may actually have its roots there. But mindfulness is not meditation, or mantras. Mindfulness is about acute awareness of the moment.
When we become overwhelmed by "tasks" we are so focused on DOING that we forget the BEING. Sure, at the end of the day we might have accomplished much, but at what cost? What cost to our health because we don't have time to exercise or eat nutritious meals? What cost to our psychological health because we are ruled by the demands of the urgent? What cost to our relationships because we put projects ahead of people? What cost to our families because we are overcommitted and invested in lesser important things?
Mindfulness is not only about acute awareness of what's important thought. It's a purposeful focus of our minds on positives in our lives.
Depression, while sometimes clinical in nature, often starts with an unhealthy focus on a negative event, or loss (perceived or real) in one's life. Mindfulness acknowledges the event or loss, but rather staying tied to the hitching post of the past, it uses the past as a sign post that points toward the future. Depression is often a result of focusing all of my energy on the event or loss that I miss the beauty of the here and now. Mindfulness is a deliberate choice to loose oneself from the restraints of the past and see the potential in today.
Fear is much the same way. It is an unhealthy focus on the "what-ifs" of life. What if I don't get the job? What if he or she rejects me? What if my marriage fails or my kids don't turn out "right"? Whatever the fear, it is an unhealthy focus on the potentials of the future. The future is not promised to us, but when we live our lives focused on the potentiality of what may happen we lose the joys found in the moment. We let fear rob us of health, of time, and of awareness of the beauty of now.
Mindfulness acknowledges the presence of fear, but refuses to give it power to rob oneself of the only thing guaranteed to us: the moment we are in right now.
Next time you're tempted to dwell on fear, or stay tied to the hurts of the past, remind yourself that every moment has value and ask if the fear or hurt is worth trading for today's joy.
