What ARE you thinking????
Right now, what are the thoughts that are crossing your mind? Are you thinking about what is in this blog? What you will be doing later? What happened earlier? Worry?
Rest assure – the quality of your life, this moment in fact, is a direct result of the thoughts you keep! Personal development at any level begins with this process.
Among other things, Personal development includes activities that improve awareness and identity.
In my opinion, this is where it ALL begins. We might be aware that things are not quite right, or that we might desire change, but without first being aware of how we arrived in our current situation, efforts towards an improved future will be difficult.
In fact, this does not only have to mean searching the past to uncover what caused our “problems”, but rather present awareness of the thoughts that occupy our mind, moment-to-moment, day-to-day. We can take back the reins of our run-away mind by starting a practice of cultivation present moment awareness.
When we become more aware of our habitual thought patterns, we begin to see the place they have in our life.
Meditation is a great tool for this, but for the sake of keeping it manageable, lets start with something simple; present moment awareness.
Assignment: Pay attention to your thoughts.
- While you are driving, making breakfast, working, exercising, whatever, start to pay attention to where your mind wanders or focuses. Simply recognize the thought and allow it without judgment. Meaning, don’t try to ‘do’ anything about it.
- A second part of this assignment is to pay attention to how ‘present’ you are when with others.
Starting where you are, is knowing where you are. In order to know, you need to pay attention.
Visit my Resources page for some good books addressing mindfulness and meditation.
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