It’s easy to get caught up in the every day rush of life. Go to work, pay the bills, clean the house, change the oil in the car, purchase groceries, do the laundry, time with friends. These are all important things, and these things can keep us from paying attention to some of the most significant topics in life. Topics like, “am I living in accordance with my values” and “am I prioritizing my life so I make sure that I attend to the most important things”?
When we spend all or most of our time focused on the minutiae of daily living it is easy to lose sight of our larger goals. The priorities and dreams are still there, but we only recognize them during times of quiet such as lying in bed at night or sitting quietly. With the proliferation of today’s techno-gadgets such as the Ipad, e-readers, and smart phones, natural opportunities for moments of quiet are less and less present.
Then suddenly we realize it’s been two or five or ten years and we haven’t made the changes that used to seem so important, and during passing moments of reflection still are. The drone of everyday life easily catches our attention, and those priorities fade into the background once again.
Mindfulness is something that has been practiced for generations. People use different methods to get in touch with their own priorities, and those they sense from their higher power. Everything from formal prayer or meditation to sitting quietly in reflection can provide the opportunity for identification of priorities and inspiration.
There are nearly as many different lists of priorities as there are people. One that frequently rises toward the top is physical health which can include physical activity, nutrition, and reducing or eliminating toxic substances from entering the body with the goal of enjoying maximum health and longevity. This, of course, includes tobacco.
If it’s important to you to be in touch with things in your life that are more significant that picking up milk or folding laundry, then why not set aside a few minutes and treat yourself to the warm embrace of your own attention. Moments that some find fruitful include waking in the morning, before going to sleep at night, and any other natural break in your day. See what comes up for you. If it includes eliminating tobacco from your life, www.becomeanex.org can help if you use it. Be mindful of your own needs. It is not being selfish rather is what you need to be at peace with yourself.
