Have you ever hit a personal goal, something that you’ve craved and worked hard for, such as winning a promotion, taking delivery of your new car, moving into your new house, or getting married maybe… only to find yourself wondering ‘is that it?’, ‘what’s the big deal?’. Terrible feeling eh? A real anti-climax.
And how many people do you know that are already focusing on Christmas as their next cause for celebration – but will still have a bit of a moan about the commercialism of it all and moan again about all the stuff that they have to do before they can ‘relax and enjoy it’? Another anti-climax waiting to happen?
Maybe it’s time to realise that focusing on the journey teaches you a lot about your destination and how to appreciate it.
When you go through the journey of life and all the milestones it puts in front of you, I want you to be conscious of every minute you are living. Life is a gift that should be celebrated minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, week by week. Please don’t wait for your next celebration to be your turkey arriving on the dinner table at Christmas day. Focus on the journey towards that moment.
Whether it’s Christmas you celebrate or Diwali, Hannukah, Eid al-Fitr, Chinese New Year, do it with joy, do it with passion, feel it every step of the way! Like every other event in your life, like any journey towards a personal goal, no matter how big or small, it is what YOU make it.
A 1000 mile journey, has a lot of steps, so by focusing on the here and now, and by being mindful of the moment, you are likely to find joy throughout the journey. Mindfulness is an ancient Buddhist practice which is very relevant for life today. Mindfulness is about paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally. This increases awareness, clarity and acceptance of our present-moment reality.
So here are a few Stalkie tips to being mindful and living in the now….
- When you do your morning routine, such as boiling the kettle and having a shower, rejoice in the fact that you have clean running water that can be heated – not everybody in the world has this luxury
- Every journey you embark on, seek to learn something about your surroundings
- Notice the little things in life. Feel the sun on your face and feel the chilly breeze on your skin
- Actually stop, look at some views and think how wonderful things are on the planet we live on
- Look at the buildings, the architecture, the engineering – admire our ingenuity and resourcefulness
- Be the first to smile before someone smiles at you
- Give plenty of compliments – thinking about the person you are complimenting in a positive manner in turn helps you remain in a positive manner
- Be the first to forgive, hold yourself to higher standards, and do what’s right
This is Stalkie, signing off my blog today, by asking you to do your best to live in the now, cherish every moment of every journey. Never swap a minute of joy and fulfilment for 60 seconds of frustration, anger or jealousy.
You choose your response to every situation – empower yourself and make your response a positive one….love the day.
From Paul ‘Stalkie’ Stalker
The Mindset Man.