Mindfulness: Enjoying the Journey

As I wrote before, I've really taken a liking to listening to podcasts on my way to and from work.  I have 45 minutes (each way) to dedicate to listening, and it's nice to learn something new in that time, instead of listening to the same music over and over.

I really enjoy Oprah's podcast called Super Soul Conversations.  You can find them in Google Play Music, and on iTunes.  Most recently I've listened to "Michael Pollan: Conscious Eating" and "Kathy Freston: The 8 Pillars of Wellness."  While I learned from both podcasts, I found Kathy Freston's to be very eye opening.

Both podcasts touch on the subject of conscious eating - understanding where your food comes from, what it went through to make it to your table, and consciously deciding to eat it.  Considering what meat goes through to make it to your table (watch Earthlings if you need your eyes opened), making the conscious decision not to eat meat becomes very easy.

The second theme in both podcasts, as well as others I've been listening to, is the theme of mindfulness.  Mindfulness is where you turn your brain off, and live in the moment - in whatever you are doing at that moment in your life.  And you live it... you turn off your thinking and just "be" in that moment.  So, for example, if you're in the shower getting ready in the morning... make sure you're "in" the shower - you're feeling the water, enjoying the warmth, the smells - you're not thinking of what you have to do when you get out, when you get in the car, when you get to work.  Just "be" in the shower.

It's really a powerful lesson to learn.  Once you realize how often you're not in the moment, you realize how much of your life you're missing out on.  Turn the phone off.  Turn the iPad off.  Turn the music off.  Just sit and listen.

Once you are active in the moment, you begin to live your best life.  This is what I want.  I'm not only trying to transform my body in this process, but also my mind.. they way I'm living.  I want to enjoy my life - not just exist in it.  If you're not LIVING your life, you may as well be dead!

~ Alisa ~