Life can be busy – really busy. We’re constantly being bombarded with information, images, and options. Often we hurry here, there, and everywhere – even if it’s just in our minds.

We get distracted by the different noises in our lives. And stuck in our heads with work, relationships, and responsibilities – or in the past somewhere… or in an imagined future!

What we need more are ‘now moments’ – when we take time out from our busy lives to pause, breathe and notice things outside of ourselves – I mean really notice them.

 

 

Now moments

Now is where the power is! It promotes good feelings, of being aware, alive, at peace, curious, in awe, and grateful. Having such feelings causes more of those feelings to manifest in our lives.

It makes us engaged with regular life – which is often where the magic is! If we commit to a practice that brings us into these ‘now moments’ more frequently, new habits start to form.

We then increasingly notice the smaller things which add to the meaning of life. We see our environment and things in it in new ways, enhancing our perceptions and creativity.

 

 

Mindful every day

For me, life has been hectic with work and domestic responsibilities, organising my book and website for publication, and being an attentive mum to my two boys.

I’ve also regularly got my aging parents on my mind, so I thought up a creative way for me to get back on track with being mindful every day, and I’ve called it: The Mindfulness Project.

It’s become a part of my daily routine to get present – and it’s really benefiting me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I’d love to share it with you, so you can benefit from it too!

 

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If you feel even a little bit frazzled by everyday life, you’d benefit by going to the Spirit my way Instagram feed (scroll down). There you’ll find photos from my Mindfulness Project.

These are pictures I’ve taken with my phone camera of my ‘now moments’ from my day – at home, in the garden, in shops, at work, and en route to or at my other activities.

You’re encouraged to join in with ‘now moments’ from your day. This initiative makes the mundane in life look marvellous. It gets you to see in new ways. It has you feeling grounded.

 

 

Start the Mindfulness Project!

At the start of the week begin by selecting two times a day like 9 am and 2 pm or 12 pm and 5 pm, or whatever two times suit you, and for the week bring your focus to those chosen times.

At the allotted times pause to see what is before you, behind you, in your immediate setting, no matter where you are.

You don’t need to be anywhere special. You may be somewhere ordinary like the kitchen or on a bus. In fact, ordinary things can look rather extraordinary when we pay them some attention.

Don’t just glimpse an environment or thing – really see it – and absorb it. Experience it with your eyes wide open. Do you see any interesting shapes, shadows, colours, lights, or patterns?

What do you notice? What attracts your attention first – go with that. Do you notice anything about it that you’ve not noticed before: a line, a blur, a beauty, or is it the light and the effect it creates?

After you’ve observed for a moment, take a photo of your ‘now moment’ with your phone camera. Get creative with the image and share it with us on Instagram by using #thepowerisnow

 

 

It doesn’t matter if you forget to get mindful at exactly the allotted times each day – thereabouts is good enough. Don’t stress. It’s meant to be a purposeful yet enjoyable project.

But try the best you can to stick to a schedule because then it will become a habit of yours to get mindful around a particular time each day. (Write the times on a sticky note, to prompt you.)

The following week, select two new times to get present and continue with the project in the same way. Thereafter, alternate the two times and weeks according to this pattern.

After a couple of months, you’ll notice that you’ve become more mindful at 9 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, and 5 pm every day. With practice, you’ll have grown an awareness of what is around you.

Keep it up! Make it a part of your every day to get mindful. You’ll increasingly feel like you are in life, and not off on a mental tangent. The power is now, so get present in the now to claim it!

I’d love to hear how you go with The Mindfulness Project and what benefits you gain from it, email linda@lindacull.com or leave a comment below. Share it with your friends!