Living a mindful day.
Today is not yet started. It is still dark and silent. Kitchens are not filled with housewives. Birds are still sleeping in nests. The sun is barely visible in the sky. It amazes me when I know only me and frogs are just up for an early start. Perhaps frogs never slept because they had a wedding last night. So, while this background chatter is going on I was contemplating about yesterday.
Yesterday.
Was typically ordinary. Kids started early in the day. We skipped swimming classes and decided to go to a children's park instead. I can tell you many things as this is very fresh from the memory. But particularly interesting was That I had a chat with the park attendant. Who for no reason discussed about the power-cut which happened during the day, and how it had affected the bouncy castle. Apparently, it was deflated during the power cut and went off while kids were playing. I spent a minute of my time talking to him and we drove back. Apart from this guy I can remember the Ice-cream vendor, Slippers of kids, the old man who took my umbrella at the book shop, and a little girl who wanted the exact same book I chose without realizing it was already taken also the moment we stayed in the car as there was a power cut.
If someone asked me 20 years later, I would not remember anything about yesterday. Memory is a weak force. The power of it lies in record keeping. More importantly the mindful observation of ordinary things would let us make memories which are everlasting. I am sure I might not even remember as a day of a Power cut. But might remember how I spent times in the car with the kids due to heavy rain, while they were reading books still fresh from the bookshop.
Living a mindful day.
Living a mindful day has enormous benefits. It is not for improving your productivity when you are working, but to increase number of entry points to your past day, which you will remember for life. Perhaps, you won't remember how many tasks you completed, what you ate, or what you were worried about. But an ordinary moment, a conversation you had with a friend, a bird that chirped at your window, a Moth that was stuck in your bedroom. We cannot predict which will be it, that we remember but have obviously will change who you are over time. You cannot do that without being mindful about yourself and everything around you. So, let's practice it today.
Your daily mindfulness checklist.
Here are five simple creative things you can do to improve your mindfulness during today. They do not cost a thing, and more than few minutes of your time.
Close your eyes if you feel tired and listen to the sound. Let the eyes relax in darkness for few seconds. Feel the world like a blind man.
Take a mindful shower, while recognizing the water flowing on your skin, trying to feel the warmth, or coldness of the water.
Make a habit of watching the rain. How raindrops fall from the sky, on dry earth. How it starts to flow.
Drink your coffee with nothing in your mind. Like it is the last coffee you would have before the doomsday.
Simply try to watch a Post in your social media, without scrolling to the next.
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