Guest Post by Michele Sammons
Mindfulness is a way of being present and paying attention to all the little details around you.
I like to think of mindfulness as choice. Each moment, each here-and-now is full of possibilities and potentials. When you become fully present in the now, you can sense the fullness of these possible creations.
Between you and me, mindfulness is a fancy name for focus. Focus is choosing what you give your attention to. Choosing is creating because when you give your attention to something, it grows in your awareness and
experience. As you become aware of how you choose to use your powerful focus, you can get picky about what you are creating.
I see mindfulness or focus as more than just accepting what is. It’s about creating a quality of experience. Mindfulness is choosing to love what is by choosing how you focus on the experience.
It’s possible to allow our minds to wander in a zillion different ways. For example, as I write this post,
the dishwasher repairman is installing a new part in my dishwasher. Currently, there are many possibilities to be mindful of—positive and negative. Irritation that my work is interrupted, appreciation of the repairman’s skill, glee at meeting this friendly, soft-spoken kid, or the distraction of the noisy goings-on in the kitchen. Each of these aspects is true, so it’s important to notice my responses and wisely choose which part I focus on because that becomes my experience.
It may help to view mindfulness this way; it’s choosing to see what’s before you as—here for you. When you frame up your experience through this lens, it takes the sting out of things. It automatically brings you to a neutral state where you can choose where you put your attention. It’s taking responsibility for how you
see the world. It’s giving up the belief that you can be a victim.
When you become mindful of the present moment’s potential and your power to choose how you focus, you begin to tap into your ability to create with life. At every turn, the Universe can delight you. It will delight you with the potential all around you-allowing you to celebrate again. And again.
© Strength 4 Spouses LLC, 2021.
About the Author
Michele Sammons makes her home in Memphis, Tennessee, with husband Scott and chocolate Labrador, Dewey. The Little Book of Big Knowing is Michele’s first book, but probably not her last. You can discover more about Michele’s work on her website: https://www.michelesammons.com
