Looking where you’re headed

Have you ever tried to walk, run, or climb while looking back over your shoulder? I have. In fact, I have actually tripped and fallen while looking in one direction and moving in another!

Since looking backward in the physical realm interferes with my ability to move forward, does it also makes sense that I can best achieve my goals by focusing on the direction I want to go, not on where I came from?

Many of the people I admire have pointed out the value of thinking positive and visualizing what you would like to have happen, instead of focusing on the past, or on what you fear.

Dr. Wayne Dyer’s books and videos are excellent resources to describe how that works.  He said, “You become what you think about, whether you want it or not.”

Thinking about Mindfulness

Have you had difficulty “emptying” your mind to get into meditation?  I certainly have!

As an active learner, I tend to think that when I want to get better at something, I need to study more.  But generally speaking, studying mindfulness more intently doesn’t seem to produce better results.

Recently, though, reading the TIME Special Edition, MINDFULNESS, The New Science of Health and Happiness, I had an “aha moment.”

In the article, “Why Every Mind Needs Mindfulness,” Mary Elizabeth Williams pointed out that when you’ve noticed that your mind wanders, it’s not a sign of failure.  In fact, the awareness of a wayward thought is actually a sign of mindfulness working.

After reading that, I happily went for a mindful walk. Every time I started to think of something on my “to do” list, I remembered her words, and smiled as I turned my attention back to the blue sky and the sun on the autumn leaves. 

We hear so much about Mindfulness these days, some people are put off by the term.  I’m convinced, however, that anyone who looks into the concept for themselves will find some amazing benefits.

It was great to see Jonathan Kabat-Zinn, Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, sharing Mindfulness practice with Anderson Cooper in this 2015 video clip from 60 minutes.