I stubbed my toes against chairs, beds and doors. Repeatedly. It wasn’t like I didn’t know the furniture was there. I just didn’t have the ability to avoid bumping into them. I also managed to slice the skin off the top of one of my fingers trying to open a can of peaches.

Why I wondered. I have spatial awareness. I can open cans with a bit of effort.  So why? It wasn’t my physical ineptitude. It was my mind. It was cluttered and crowded with too many thoughts. I wasn’t in the present. I was orbiting between the past, future and somewhere in between. Ruminating and worrying about things that were/are simply outside my control. Silly, I know. Stop, I couldn’t. My brain was physically tired. Not helped by not sleeping.

What to do? I tried mindfulness. I started with prayers. Why? Because apart from being a klutz and dealing with racing thoughts, I realised that I was doing rote praying. Repeated words. At the altar. To my Gods. Too many times I forgot what I said or where I left off. I was not present. Physically, yes. Mentally and emotionally, no.

I did what I understood or perceived mindfulness to be. I tried to be in the present. I also verbalised what I was doing. Like a narrator in my own life story. I talked to myself. I did my best not to allow my mind to stray. Every time it did, I reigned it in. Talking and narrating helped me drown out the noises in my head. I’ve been trying to be mindful with the things I do in a day. Not easy. But doable with constant reminders and discipline.

What is mindfulness?

‘To live mindfully is to live in the moment and reawaken oneself to the present, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future… Mindfulness encompasses two key ingredients: awareness and acceptance. Awareness is the knowledge and ability to focus attention on one’s inner processes and experiences, such as the experience of the present moment. Acceptance is the ability to observe and accept—rather than judge or avoid—those streams of thought[1].

Simply put. Be in the now. It is what it is. Accept it, and try your darndest not to be too critical.

Mindfulness is rooted in Buddhist and Hindu teachings. The following is worth considering when contemplating mindfulness.

“The first consideration is to remember what the Buddhist “discovered” such a long time ago: Life entails suffering and that much suffering is inescapable. Indeed, to be alive is, in part, to suffer, at least some of the time. Mindfulness emerged because the Buddha realized that attempts to escape suffering, to put suffering out of our minds, to banish it to the nether regions, almost always backfire in the long run. Doing so often produces mental disharmony and sets one up to be in chronic fear of one’s own memories, feelings, and experience[2].’

As an aside, this reminded me of a story brother number 1 told me when we were very young. It goes like this: ‘A man went to a fortune teller to have his fortune told. The fortune teller said to the man. The first 10 years of your life will be hard. The second 10 years will be difficult. After that, you get used to it.’

We both laughed every time he recited that story. And, I laughed yet again. We both saw the funny side to the rather tragic/comic story. Why, because life generously offers up its fair share of difficulties and heartaches to everyone. Just like the line in the poem, ‘The Rainy Day’ – “Into each life some rain must fall.” Awareness and acceptance is half the battle.

Some suggestions worth trying towards being more mindful.  

1. Meditation. Sit quietly for just 5 minutes and follow your breath. This might help you feel more conscious and connected for the rest of your day.

2. Focus on one thing at a time.  Studies have found that tasks take 50% longer with 50% more errors when multi-tasking, so consider “uni-tasking”, with breaks in between, whenever possible.

3. Slow down. Savour the process. Deliberate and thoughtful attention to daily actions from writing a report to drinking coffee/tea promotes healthy focus and can keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

4. Eat mindfully. Sans TV, computer and/or mobile phone. Truly taste and enjoy what you’re eating. Its good for your body and soul.

5. Keep phone and computer time in check. With easy access to media, information overload is a real danger.

6. Move. Walk. Practice yoga. Stretch at your desk. Become aware of your body’s sensations by moving.

7. Spend time in nature. Walk in a natural environment – parks and beaches – whenever possible. Getting outdoors is good for the body, mind and spirit, and keeps you in the present[3].

I’m trying.