“Appreciating the little things in life means that you focus your attention on what nurtures and sustains you in life. On everything that brings you even the smallest amount of pleasure.”
Mindfulness
Mindfulness, simply put, is being aware of the present moment. Focussing on the present, keeping your mind in the here and now, helps to release your thoughts concerning past and future. The practise of mindfulness is also referred to as type of cognitive therapy for it allows you to take control of your thoughts halting undesirable loops and escalations. Mindfulness teaches you to experience the world as it is, in acceptance, and without judgement. As a result it is an effective tool in managing anxiety, depression, and stress.
Practising Mindfulness.
Practising mindfulness is easier than you might think. It doesn’t require a designated time but rather one of intentionality. Whether you’re sipping a cup of coffee, doing the dishes, walking outdoors, or looking upon a marble run, mindfulness is like piecing a puzzle together. Concentrate on the now of what you are doing. Consider all of your senses in observation of the now. What are you looking at? Is it still or stationary? Ask yourself how it feels to your body? Where do you feel it? Think about the temperature. Is there a scent? a taste? What about a sound? Wherever you are, be there, be in the moment fully.
Gratitude practise can turn what we have into enough. It’s in the everyday things that can get taken for granted or missed altogether. Gratitude reminds us what’s really important which is why how we choose to view problems distinctly affects our interaction with them and outcomes beyond them. When viewed as puzzles to be solved problems invite creative thinking, encourage revisiting and posit gratitude.
Gratitude is a mindful art
Gratitude is a mindful art for recognising gratitude requires you to be mindful. Life can get tough yet “every day, there’s probably something we enjoy, or someone who supports us or gives us a break”. Whether it’s the person who made you coffee, the driver who stopped for you to cross the street, the smell of fresh rosemary rubbed between your fingers … or a marble running its track in intricate harmony, simple perfection… think about what really sustains you. Be present.
The Puzzles
The puzzles in life are an opportunity for both mindfulness and gratitude. This is a @rokrofficial wooden marble run. The design is such that every piece is intricately planned and fits in firm place without the use of any bonding agent. In other words, this whole marble run is made of laser cut wood and just a couple of metal spindles (with plastic end holders). Yup. Super impressive. And for so many reasons. TougherThan cofounders, @EvaFejes_ and @NessMurby, built it at the end of 2020 over several sessions. Each session a mindfulness practise in itself. It sits unassumingly upon our living/diningRoom shelf, now a mindfulness tool, bringing much joy and inspiring many gratitudes.
Keep tapping into Mindfulness, breathe, and give a nod to Gratitude… you’ll live happier
