This week, I wanted to focus on observing where my head is at throughout the day. At the beginning of this learning journey, I saw a visual that said there is a difference between being “mindful” and being “mind full.” I will attach it below. I also chose to read an article on the difference between the two.
Throughout the week, I tried to be aware of my state most of the time. Life can get so hectic that it is easy to maintain a state of a full mind without even realizing it. I would say that there are certain parts of my day that I intentionally set aside to be mindful. For instance, I like to set aside time in the mornings to read my book, sip my coffee, and become aware of how I feel and how my body feels. The key word in that sentence was TRY. When I enter the mind’s full state, I find that slowing down to become mindful hits the back burner, and that is where I am right now. I have not prioritized the time to be mindful, which is ironic as this is the entire topic of my learning project. However, that is how life works sometimes, and some may argue that the fact that I am aware that I’ve been living in a full mind alone is a form of being mindful.
So, what’s my plan to become more mindful again?
Knowing I have been living with a full mind lately is already step one. In order to change a habit or a “problem,” you first need to recognize that it exists. In the next few weeks, I want to try to use the app Headspace more. I discussed the app in a previous blog post but have not used it much yet. There are so many great tools on that app that make being mindful easy. For example, I listened to a one-minute-guided breathing exercise to start my day this morning. I felt more grounded immediately. I want to try and do small things like that whenever I recognize my mind racing. I also think I might try doing it during the school day with the students because if it helps me, odds are it might help others.
I’ll keep you posted on my journey back to finding mindfulness…