Mindful LIfe Monday - How Soon is Now?
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Hello Steemians !
I hope everyone is well. Or as well as can be. I few people that I like to say I know, have had a rough few days. My heart goes out to them.
This actually goes along with my topic for today. Being in the moment or the now. It is one of the key elements of being mindful. No matter if you're practicing from an Eastern point of view, a Western point of view or your own course. Living in the moment is essential. Oddly enough what brought this topic to mind was actually a cooking show. I'm not sure if you have heard of The Chef Show on Netflix? It stars John Favreau (plays Happy in the Iron Man movies and is the director of those and so many more) and chef Roy Choi. Anyway, Chef Choi mentioned that cooking is a very mindful practice. You mind cannot be running around all over the place when you are preparing a meal. If you are not set to the task at hand, what you are cooking may not come out as intended.
This comment stuck with me for a while as I processed what Chef Choi said and he is right. I know personally I get more joy out of preparing a large meal than I do day to day cooking. My mind is focused on what I have going on in that moment. I do not have the time to let my mind wander about coming up with the weird things that it does or worrying about something I don't have any control over. Over the years one of my main goals when I cook is making sure everything is done right about the same time, so nothing is cold. Even though I am worn out by days end, I feel at peace.
I know people that cooking is a release for them. I know people who make bread when they are stressful. The process of kneading the dough and releasing tension. I know others that bake. Why I had not actually put the pieces together on this, I still knew.
Why is being on the moment such an important part of a mindful life? It's actually pretty simple. If you keep looking back and dwelling what has a happened in your life, you won't be able to move forward. Just like if you worry about too much in the future, it can actually stunt your forward progression. Think of it as being the flag on a tug-of-war rope. The past is one side the other side being the future. Both sides pulling at you, but if one side pulls hard enough you go that direction. When there is an even amount of pull from both sides or a balance the flag stays in place. Finding that balance and peace in the middle is what being mindful is about.
Another reason is we cannot predict the future. We have influence on some of it, but we cannot control life as it happens. If you were to have someone you hold dear die tomorrow, are you going to relish what you had, remember the beautiful memories you created or are you going to live with regret from the things that you did or did not do?
Please share what activities you do that help you be mindful? Give each other ideas. Give me ideas LOL. Think of it along the lines of one the corniest sayings I can come up with right now 'Sharing is caring'
You also have an open invitation to share your thoughts and feelings on leading a mindful life. Just make sure you use #mindfullife #mindfulmonday in your tags. Your post doesn't have to be on a Monday, it can be anytime you want it to be. It makes it easier to hunt you down and see what your secrets are LOL.
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Love,
One of the things that interests me is the definition of "what a moment is" - how long does it last?
Now is a constantly transient thing. We can definitely control the future. We look both ways before we cross the street. If we didn't, we could die a dozen times a day.
That's a great question @holoz0r. It is one of the hardest things to break down and give a good definition for. Personally, I break it down to a task or the activity going on. If you want you can break it down more and sometimes I do. One of the best ways I know to present it is like this. This morning actually, I was getting a cup of coffee and noticed my husband left the butter out and his knife. I made a comment (since I was by myself at that time) 'gee can't you just pick up after yourself?.' I stopped and said to myself, 'We're not going down that road, the comment was unnecessary.' I rinsed off the knife put it in the sink and put the butter in the fridge. It's done and gone. That to me was a moment. You can see where you can break it down more. Some say my thought was a moment. That whole scenario was 2 minutes at the most. Yet if you play a game with your family that to me is a moment, even though a game can last a few hours. It ultimately is what you feel it is.
In a way we can control the future to a point. What decisions we make set us on a path. It's things like an untimely death, losing your job, getting sick, these thing are out of our control. To worry and dwell on those aspects that prevent some people from living. The unknown scares them. However, many would consider crossing a road as a moment not a future. You still have the unknown factor you can't control. Someone, texting, spilled their drink on their lap, or even a tiny spider dropped on them.
Now that I probably confused the hell out of you LOL.
I agree on the cooking part. I was going through a very rough patch couple of years ago and i used to prepare my breakfast and lunch in 90 minutes every morning. That helped me get through the bad times, it helped me focus on the food rather than worrying.
That's great @vibesforlife. To be able to turn something like that in to time to take your mind off of something is great. To get back to the moment rather than a what if.
Very true. Cooking can really be a balancing task. Its also creatively stimulating
It definite is. As I mentioned, I prefer to make a full meal rather than throw something together. I am always looking up new recipes to try. It is one of the things I love about cooking. Or turning a mistake around. I thought I had grabbed allspice and I grabbed cinnamon instead. That was an interesting fix.
I do know a lot of people that bake and knead when they are stressed. I clean. It allows me time to find the balance once again while doing something that needs to be done.
Finishing it also gives me a small sense of accomplishment.
I can understand that @dswigle. I hate to say it, I purposely put off my house cleaning 😔 for far too long. I kept things up but didn't do a good clean. I was on strike. I was tired of taking care of everyone else but myself. I found the desire to get my house back in order and rather than rage building up. It has had the opposite effect. The sense of accomplishment regardless of the task is a great feeling.
Oh, yes! I get that! I have a great appreciation of me in this phase of life. ;) Trying to anyway!
I tend to still have a hard time being in the moment. I definitely have a tendency to worry more about what is coming ahead than just taking each moment as it comes. Cooking really is a wonderful act in so many ways. I find it connects me to a number of different aspects of my life--mental health, physical health, expressing my love for others through nourishing food. As much as I love running, I am also trying to spend more time out just walking. It's hard to slow down sometimes, but I think it is just as important for my overall health as the higher intensity training I really like to do. :) I'm also trying to make laundry more mindful, haha. I normally hate putting away laundry, but I'm trying to switch my mindset to it being a repetitive and calming act. Just gotta find my inner Marie Kondo...
Funny, I just watched that show yesterday with The Hubs explaining who they were and what the show was about
Before the kids, I lived in the moment... it seemed easier to do... I only had me to think about
When the kids came, I started overthinking everything, I worried how my past could affect them... I worried how the future will be for them....
But when I lost my job I loved and within the year my Mum.... for some reason, or maybe it was my lowest low... it got easier to live in the moment knowing that there are some things that I just had to take as it comes and go with the flow.... I am not sure if that makes sense... but it has kept me out of my default worry mode on most days
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Huh! I never thought of cooking as being good for keeping you mindful and in the present moment but it sure is and it does make it really clear when your mind has slipped off and something goes crashing down or you miss an ingredience or get your timing all messed up!
Good one! Cooking to keep mindful and in the present moment!