The Rhythm of Mindfulness
May 18, 2020
by Ali Jimenez
I believe we are meant to live in rhythm. From the seasons to the heartbeat in our chest, almost everything that operates around us does so to a certain pace. They are better off because of it. Daily patterns, habits, and choices make up how we interact with the world around us. These rhythms of life keep our mind, body and soul healthy.
Mindfulness has created a rhythm in my life of me paying attention to the present moment and soaking up all that the present moment has in store for me. It brings intention to my day. It is the difference of a moment filled with reactivity or a moment filled with purposed actions. It has helped me be completely present where I am, even in the moments I would like distraction from. It’s almost as if mindfulness has reached out and offered me a gift, and the gift is simply the present moment and all it has to offer. Time moves quickly, especially when you are watching your children grow before your eyes. I know this journey of mindfulness I have been on has kept me from missing out on my life.
It’s a practice. It isn’t something I do perfectly every second of every day. Like many others, my world is filled with the demands of family and work life. It can leave me in a place where I am desperate for some mindless distraction, and I have a tool for that at a moment’s notice. My phone has stolen moments. When I’m done scrolling, I rarely feel happier, healthier, or more purposed. Mindfulness empowers me to live my life as it is given to me. It gifts me with noticing the small things I would have otherwise missed. It equips me to return to my breath and to acceptance of moments that feel difficult. It has taught my senses how to pull me back into the present moment, when my mind is spiraling into anxious thoughts. It helps to quiet the world around me and within me so I am able to get to a place where I am grounded and connected. Mindfulness helps me pause and reflect, and become more aware of both my body and mind. I’m happier, healthy, and more purposed for it.
Daily practice for me includes listening to a guided meditation, like those found in Alaia. I try to do it in the morning hours to set the tone for my day. Sometimes that doesn’t happen, and that’s okay. If I’ve been able to intentionally carve out time to practice or not, I have the skills I have learned over time to carry mindfulness into my day. It is with me when I go on walks and I choose to turn off music and podcasts for a few moments so I am able to take in all that is happening around me and through me. It is with me when I’m eating something I’ve looked forward to all day and I pause to taste what I am eating. It is with me when I focus on the variations in my son’s expressions when he is exploring something new.
Choosing to make mindfulness a daily habit and a practice I return to in many moments of my day is a rhythm I have chosen. It is a rhythm that has transformed me, and I am grateful to be able continue my practice through moments with Alaia.
