I spent last weekend up in mountains with some friends. Usually I don’t set goals, per say, for my weekend getaways, but this time I thought I would try to be a little more mindful. Here is what I set out to do:
1. Keep TV and movies and chatter radio to a minimum.
2. Be present and fully participate in the weekend activities with my friends.
3. Avoid thinking about things outside of the weekend activities.
So how did I do? Not too bad, if I do say so myself, and the results of being mindful were amazing. The television was off 90% of the weekend, and there wasn’t any internet available! As a result, I had some amazing conversations with my friends, was able to enjoy knitting a baby sweater I’ve been working on, and I noticed that my body was relaxed. In addition, I left my watch in my bag the entire weekend, and after the first day, I realized the freedom of not having a schedule!
For most of the meals, we cooked. At first, I found myself stressed about there being enough food and hoping there was something for everyone to eat, but, after noticing this undue stress, I took a deep breath, and focused on the cooking skills of my friends and the fabulous food we were enjoying. I learned a lot just by watching and being present. Each meal was eaten at the table, again television off, and the conversation and laugter was like none I have experienced in a while.
Of course work and other worries unrelated to the weekend crept in, as they tend to do, but after noticing this, I did not chastise myself, but rather wrote down what was on my mind (so I could worry about it later if I wanted ;-) and then brought my attention back to the moment. I went for a nice walk with a friend while it was lightly snowing. Feeling the brisk air on my face and admiring the tiny intricate snow flakes on my coat reminded me of being a simple, innocent child.
I’m sure I would have had fun this weekend whether or not I was mindful, but being mindful added so much value and substance to my experience. It also helped me relax more than I probably would have.
Next time you take a mini vacation, try these things to be more mindful:
1. Take your watch off.
2. Turn off the TV and chatter radio.
3. Leave your cell phone off or on silent, and leave your computer at home.
4. Have something else to do: cooking, reading, knitting, hiking, play games or sports
5. Be kind to yourself - gently redirect when you notice you are thinking about work and other worries.
Posting by Dr. Millie M. Riss
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