Sunday Journal Prompt

“Mindfulness is attention without interpretation. It is focused on the moment and allows for connecting with others on a deeper level. The more we can cultivate mindfulness, the more we can stay truly present.”

 - Mayo Clinic Wellness Coach training materials

 

I recently read that we have up to 70,000 thoughts per day. That’s 48.6 thoughts per minute, according to the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging at the University of Southern California. Imagine how exhausted we’d be if we interacted with each of them. 

Practicing mindfulness—be that savoring each bite of food, feeling the warmth of the sun on our backs or noticing the leaves on the trees during our drive to work—immerses us in the moment at hand. Focusing on our breath and on the sensory details of the present moment helps boost our energy levels and reduces our tendency to get mired in the downward spiral that thought-chasing can sometimes lead to. 

Immerse yourself in the sensory details of the present moment. What do you see, hear, smell, taste and feel?