Someone does something,
We don't like it,
We have an immediate reaction without even thinking about it.
One of the keys when practicing mindfulness to really become self-empowered and not to feel like a victim of circumstance is something called practicing the pause.
So in other videos,
We've spoken about how shifting into mindfulness is really about stepping away from being reactionary,
And we're learning how to respond rather than react,
Meaning we're not living on autopilot.
So before we start practicing mindfulness,
We're kind of a victim of circumstance,
A victim of other people's moods and behaviors and actions.
Once we start practicing mindfulness.
We can become more present.
We slow down.
We create a little distance between the thing,
Meaning the trigger,
The remark,
The circumstance,
The event,
And our reaction.
We practice the pause.
So someone sends an email we don't like.
Instead of firing off a response,
We take a little time out.
It can be even a microsecond.
And we think back to our intention.
Rather than getting into a tug of war and having a battle of the egos,
We think,
What do I want to accomplish here?
What do I want to get out of this interaction?
This transaction.
This conversation.
What is my ultimate goal?
And the next step I take,
The next move I make,
The next thing I say,
Is that going to be in alignment with my ultimate goal?
Is it going to take me closer to my intention?
Is it going to take me further away?
So being mindful,
Starting a mindfulness practice,
Mindful living.
Is really about becoming very intentional with our lives,
With our goals,
With our actions,
With our desires.
And creating a little space between cause and effect.
We don't have to be at the mercy of other people,
Of events,
Of life circumstances.
We can't always control what happens to us,
But with practice,
We can always control how we respond.
