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TROPICS CURVES
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FAITH KARIMI Based in Atlanta, Faith Karimi is one of two Kenyans working at CNN, where she has been a news desk Editor since 2009. She started her journalism career as a second-year university student by working for U.S. newspapers on a wide range of jobs - including editing, writing opinion pieces and working for the sports section. page 37 | Issue #54
MOTIVATION
BENEFITS OF MINDFUL LIVING By Diane Lang // www.dlcounseling.com
With spring upon us, we all feel the desire to go out and enjoy life. It's a time to refresh and start anew. Psychotherapist, author and positive living speaker, Diane Lang, suggests that we start living mindfully this spring. Being mindful means to wake up to everything around you and be aware of all the present experiences. Being mindful is about being fully in the present. Here are nine benefits of mindful living followed by nine steps on how we can live mindfully.
9 BENEFITS of mindful living
We become aware of all the beauty around us - we connect with nature. We are aware that everything is love we feel love, give love and receive love. We increase self-awareness, which can help us become aware of our limiting beliefs and change negative thoughts. We feel more relaxed, calm, peaceful and reduce stress. We realize everything is temporary so even wh en times are tough, we know that shall pass. It allows us to see that everything changes such as weather, seasons, thoughts, etc. We learn we can survive change and that change is also good! No need to fear change. Because you're in the moment we become more focused on whatever it is we are doing.
9 EASY STEPS to start now
Be an active listener which means We live in the now - the happiest people you're in the moment. When someone is live in the moment. They learn from the talking to you stay present. Don't think past, plan for the future, but enjoy the about anything else. Stay focus. Give direct moment. eye contact. Ask questions. Summarize. Show you're listening by your non verbal's We become aware of the mind-body such as hands and face. connection, which allows us to know how negative emotions affect us Do one thing at a time - we are a physically. This allows us to use the society of multi-tasking BUT to be connection as a warning sign when mindful we really need to slow down something is wrong. "I have a lot of clients and do one thing at a time. Really focus on who feel their stress, anxiety, anger, etc. on the task, get totally absorbed on what you their bodies before they connect to it are doing. Get into “flow." emotionally," shares Lang. Simplify your life -don't fill your day We slow down and enjoy life. just to be occupied. That is just being
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busy without purpose. Do the things you enjoy and love. Don't waste time and energy on things that are just "fillers." Take time each day to do nothing I mean nothing. This doesn't mean thought time or nap time. It means just sitting and observing. Try to clear your mind completely and enjoy the silence. Nature - another way to be quite is by being surrounded by nature. You don't have to do anything. You can just sit outside, talk a walk, go for a swim, lay in the sun, etc. There is no wrong or right, no judgment. That takes away from the experience. Don't look at mindfulness as a chore. It's just a state of being. It's enjoying every moment. It's being alive in every moment. It's being fully involved in every activity and conversation. Mindfulness is awareness - Be aware that every moment of your life is important no matter how big or small. Truly accept your life - accept where you are at this moment. Be aware of your emotions. Don't push them down or avoid them. They will eventually rear there ugly head. Accept them; feel them and then you can move forward. Don't intellectualize or repress your feelings. If you feel what is happening the negative feelings will pass quicker. Use your negative emotions as a teachable moment. Mindfulness means self-compassion having a higher talk with yourself. Watching the tape recorder playing in your head. Changing your self-talk. Use positive affirmations.
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