What percent of your day is spent going through the motions?
In my late teens, twenties, and thirties, it was almost none; everything was new. Each semester brought a new set of classes. After graduation, I changed jobs every three years. It seemed like just about the time that routine set in, a major change arrived: new jobs, children, houses, and colleagues.
Today, a significant portion of my day is routine. Stasis is comforting, but vitality requires change.
Mixing It Up
It’s essential to incorporate change into our daily routines. This doesn’t need to be earth-shattering. When going to a neighborhood restaurant, I used to order my favorite dish. I decided to change that up. Small potatoes, I know, but it’s a start.
The same goes for running errands or taking walks around the neighborhood; I deliberately take different routes to keep things interesting. In doing so, I discovered streets within two miles of my house that I had never been on, despite living in the area for forty years.
Breaking the Mold
As we age, we get set in our ways. I love music. Each week, I get an email with details on new album releases. I’m trying to find new favorites, but it’s frustrating! I don’t like most of today’s popular music. So I switched to jazz. It took a while for this genre to grow on me, but some of the jazz I didn’t care for on first listen found its way into my favorites.
Breaking the mold is a great brain exercise to keep things fresh!
Bringing Oneself To the Moment
Bringing oneself to the moment is another strategy to bring vitality to life.
Why not watch the colors of a sunset fade to darkness rather than snapping and adjusting cell phone pictures to post online? Same thing with grandchildren’s visits. The present moment is life’s greatest gift. Everyone has heard this, but most of us don’t live it.
I once attended a three-day mindfulness retreat. Speaking or even making eye contact with other participants was off-limits until the last day. Rather than filling free moments with banal chatter, we were instructed to seek deep presence. That meant slowing down at the table and noticing the texture and flavor of every bite. It meant going for a walk and being fully present to natural beauty.
At first, minutes lasted forever. After a while, it became clear that most of my day was spent on autopilot, going through the motions. The mindfulness retreat illustrated the depth of the fleeting moment. I now practice bringing myself to the moment throughout the day. It’s therapeutic!
Why Not Give It A Try?
How much of your life is routine? How might you change that up? How often do you fully immerse yourself in the present moment? Why not give Presence a try?
Here are some helpful steps:
-First, let go of distracting thoughts and focus your attention on taking a few deep breaths.
-Second, notice your surroundings as if for the first time, like visiting a foreign country you’ve never been to.
-Third, bring your attention individually to each of the five senses; exactly what are you hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, or tasting right now? Stay with each exercise until you notice previously missed details.
When repeated throughout the day, this practice illuminates the power of presence.
Life is too precious to be wasted by simply going through the motions.
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My first book, Towards A Life Well-Lived, can be purchased by clicking this link. Proceeds from sales are donated to Peace In Schools, a Portland, Oregon-based organization that supports mindfulness training in high schools.
Stay tuned for my new book, The Secret Within, which I expect to make available in time for the Holidays.
Towards A Life Well-Lived 