What's your hurry!

​Has anyone else noticed we are on earth, which is rapidly spinning in space each day?  With the hustle and bustle of daily life, garbage trucks at the curb making the dog bark while you busily get ready for the day. Kids or cats needing food, work obligations, resolutions to yet again make everything better this year...It is no wonder why so may people are stressed and seeking more in their lives.

What we are seeking so furiously, may just be with us already. 

One day not long ago, I was driving down a back road after an appointment, setting an intention to be mindful.

A big red pick-up truck came up behind me as I cruised at the speed limit...he got really close. So close I could feel his anger and hurried energy breathing down my mindfulness moment.

As we curved an winded down the road, I stayed my course, noticing the beautiful broken down barn in the pasture,  the horses lazily eating their way through the fields... then with a loud muffler exhale...the truck ZOOMED passed me and darted out of sight. I could slowly feel his hurried anger leave my mindful moment and I took a breath...

A few miles down the road, I stopped for the red light, and to my delight and insight, the big red angry pick-up truck was in FRONT of me at the red light...we were at the same point in time...this was inspiring as I can relate, most can, to being in that kind of hurry. Maybe he was late picking up his children from school, maybe he forgot the milk on the way home...But...his hurrying did ABSOLUTELY nothing to change this. 

AHHHH I wish I would have known this when I was younger...this bit of wisdom I have learned, and now passionately share with others...


WE ARE ALL GOING TO END UP IN THE SAME PLACE SO WHAT'S YOUR HURRY...


Mindfulness is practice of slowing down, paying attention, and being in the moment. It is a practice, it is hard to do in this world of hustle and bustle, although it can be life-changing. It is not mediation, you do not have to wear a Buddha robe to master it. You can even drive a big pick-up truck and still be mindful.

It is a practice and a tool. It does not mean you have to be in a mindful state all the time, although it is a tool used to come back to when you need it, whenever you can. 

What is mindfulness?  Mindfulness is the act of being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling at every moment — without interpretation or judgment or trying to change it.
Spending too much time planning, problem-solving, daydreaming, or thinking negative or random thoughts can be exhausting. It can also make you more likely to experience stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression.

Practicing mindfulness exercises, on the other hand, can help you direct your attention away from this kind of thinking and engage with the world around you. There are online mindful courses, guided mindfulness work, and many counselors, including myself, have training on how to implement mindfulness into your daily life. 

What are the benefits of mindfulness exercises? Practicing mindfulness exercises can have many possible benefits, including:

• Reduced stress, anxiety and depression
• Less negative thinking and distraction
• Improved mood 

Jaclyn Fortier, LCMHCS
www.carolinacounselingwellness.com
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