Boggles - Mindfulness Videos Articles and Tips

Coaching Videos & Tips - May 31 2018 No. 560

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING HAPPY!

Some might be of the opinion that happiness is a kind of drug or that it has no place in, for example, the cut and thrust of business life. And, whilst lots of us know what makes us unhappy, as adults, we often shy away from thinking about the things, experiences and people that really and truly make us happy. It's important to put happiness way up their on your Agenda... because, if you're not happy, why bother?

 

Mindfulness Tip

You have five senses... use them! Deliberately stop yourself today to smell where you are - a couple of deep breaths will do. Don't think about what you smell, just notice it... thinking allows our minds to run away with us.

When you walk, notice what you feel in your feet and legs... not how they feel, that's being judgemental and, once that starts, you thoughts will... well, run away with you again!

When you sit, rub your hand along the table or seat of the chair. Notice what you feel - don't start thinking "That's smooth" or "Soft"... just notice. We rarely really notice what we see, feel, hear, smell and taste... and that's why we invariably end up in a muddle.

Don't forget... you can browse all the previous videos, tips, articles and stories in The Archive

Reflections on Mindfulness

Don't underestimate the importance of today's Quick Tip. As adults, we never, ever pay attention to what our five senses are telling us. Instead, we take their input, filter it through our own world view (including our self-view) and churn out a foggy, warped version of what we call "reality".

We jump to conclusions about people and events - today's Normal Crazy People story is a simple but good example - automatically react to what we perceive is going on and miss reality (and all its opportunities) in the process. It's how we make it through the day (our primary goal in evolutionary times) but it's not what I'd call living. As a client said last week, it's just about existing.

The Medical School at UMass calls exercises such as those I've suggested in the Quick Tip "coming to your senses" - a key requirement for overcoming the noise, stress, angst, anxiety and depression that is simply the product of thought - that's why I have suggested that you simply observe what you smell and feel rather than think about it. Thoughts are like Player's Cigarettes (not that I'd know anything about that), they come in packs of twenty... and they will slowly kill you. That's not an analogy, it's a fact. The WHO keeps telling us that stress is a 21st century epidemic that's unduly shortening people's lives.

Time to come to your senses.

Normal Crazy People - Mindlessness in Action

About a year ago, I did a short series of videos for a particular group of people.

Amongst the feedback I received was a comment from one viewer who said he "simply can't take that guy seriously... how could you listen to someone (talking about wellbeing) when the guy smokes?" He concluded his feedback by saying "All I noticed in the video was an ashtray on the bookcase behind him!"

The ashtray is a family heirloom - my grandmother's (who died six days short of her one hudredth birthday!) - I don't smoke.

The video series was about focusing on the important, ignoring distractions and knowing which is which!!

   

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