Exercising Mindfulness

My goals....I've got daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, and yearly goals. My yearly goals are the biggest and many would view these as my "important goals". I use to think the same way.

That backwards logic led me down a lot of dead end roads. And it allowed me to lose focus on my short term goals. My daily goals on the other hand provided consistent progress, mindfulness, and an awakened mindset. It became apparent with time that my yearly goals, while important, were not the stepping stones that deserved my focus.

My daily goals shift everyday. But there are goals that are always there. Exercising mindfulness is the one I'm focusing on with this blog. Mindfulness and awareness are similar. They are also distinctly different. There are many things I've been aware of for most of my existence.

• Hunger
• War
• Violence
• Abuse

I think most of us are aware on some level of the things that take place around us. Mindfulness challenges you to take your awareness further. Mindfulness challenges you to look outside of yourself and place yourself in another's shoes.

This is difficult if you've never experienced those things. But practicing mindfulness will change your tone. Not just how you address others, but how you to and about yourself.

Before responding to questions or people ask yourself

• Am I responding for their benefit or mine?
• Will the things I say hinder them and they're growth?
• Am I taking part in this because I can help or am I taking part in this because I want to say I tried to help?

I tell my kids what we are doing isn't nearly as important as the why we are doing it.

Practice Mindfulness in a situation tomorrow. Give growth to someone and allow yourself to focus on the why's of what you're doing. Mindfulness for a year changed my life.