Author: Lori

I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I have many roles in my life, yet the one I strive more than the others to get just right, is mother. I want to be a positive life coach to my children, but have come to realize, through many failed attempts, that this is not always that simple. I have had my share of failed craft projects, failed cooking experiments, I have let life lessons go untaught, I have had melt downs and many moments of mom regret. Therefore, I dedicate this blog to the mothers who as hard as they try, may not quite touch on perfect. The mothers who at times, can't wait until bedtime or wish they could hit a 'restart' button. It's time to start celebrating our successes and learning from our struggles. After all, if we can't be perfect we can be perfectly, imperfect. Lori

Today’s Mindful Moment

For today’s ‘Mindful Moment’ have a pen and paper handy.

Take a moment to observe your breath. Is it fast and shallow or slow and heavy? Take a few deep breaths, slowly breathing in for the count of 5, holding for 5 counts and exhaling for 5 counts and holding the breath for the count of 5.  Do this 5 times.  How are you feeling? Are you feeling more relaxed?  Continue to breathe slowly, look around the room you are currently in, now without thinking too much about it, write down or draw everything you see; Objects, colors, little details that generally go unnoticed.  Continue to make a list or drawing for 60 seconds.  When you’re finished take a close look at the list or drawing.  We often go through our day without noticing the everyday objects that surround us.  Take a moment to appreciate your surroundings now check in with yourself, how are you feeling? My wish is that you feel calm and centered.

Embrace the moment!

Lori

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In Hot Water

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I got a phone call from my son’s teacher last week. My son had found himself in some hot water and she wanted to give me a heads up.   When my child returned home from school we had a discussion about the phone call.  My son was teary eyed when we talked about the incident and he was sorry for his behavior.  I understood he was remorseful but there would have to be a consequence for his poor judgement and so he was grounded.

But it wasn’t enough to be grounded; I also wanted him to do a little soul searching. I want my son to be aware that his behaviors, good or bad have an impact on others. Enter the mindfulness exercise I had him perform.  Michael Jackson the wise soul that he was performed the amazing song “The Man in the Mirror.”  My son’s exercise was to listen to this song; eyes closed, and pay close attention to the words.  He needed to feel the weight of the songs’ message and write a paragraph on the intention of the song.

My son’s paragraph was insightful and well thought out. Michael helped my son gain some clarity. Listening to this song is a good mindfulness activity.  Close your eyes and listen to the message, I guarantee the experience will be powerful.  We have every right to look after ourselves but we also have the added responsibility to look beyond ourselves to be mindful of those around us and as my son wrote ‘We should be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.  We have the power to make a change, be mindful how you choose to use that power.’

Be forever mindful, Lori

Today’s Mindful Moment


Observe your breath. Is it fast and shallow or slow and heavy?  Slowly breathe in for the count of 5, hold for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts and hold.  Do this 5 times.  Are you feeling more centered?  Continue to breathe slowly and take yourself outside.  Gaze up at the sky, is it a blue sky? Grey? Is it snowing, raining or is the sun shining brightly? Observe the sky, are there variations in the color, are there fluffy clouds above, angry storm clouds looming in the distance? Do you see a jet stream?  Observe closely with the wonder of a child.

Check in with yourself, how are you feeling? My wish is that you feel calm and centered.

Embrace the moment!

Lori

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Today’s Mindful Moment

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Observe your breath. Is it fast and shallow or slow and heavy?  Slowly breathe in for the count of 5, hold for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts and hold.  Do this 5 times.  Are you feeling more centered?  Continue to breathe slowly and close your eyes.  Now listen, Listen to the sounds around you, pick up on the many sounds and try really hard to isolate just one sound.  Your mind may wander to the other sounds, gently acknowledge the sounds and bring yourself back to the isolated sound.  What do you hear? Where does the sound originate? Is it a soothing sound or quite loud and distracting?  Acknowledge the sound without judgement, listen to it with intention.

Check in with yourself, how are you feeling? My wish is that you feel calm and centered.

Embrace the moment!

Lori

Today’s Mindful Moment

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Positive reinforcement word Compassion engrained in a rock

Observe your breath. Is it fast and shallow or slow and heavy?  Slowly breathe in for the count of 5, hold for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts and hold.  Do this 5 times.  Are you feeling more centered?  Continue to breathe slowly, bring the image of a loved one into your mind and observe their face through your mind’s eye.  Follow the contours of their face, the color of their eyes, and the shade of their hair. Keep them in your mind as you bring a smile to your face and wish them the following.

May you be Happy!

May you be Healthy!

May you be Safe!

May your life be filled with joy!

Check in with yourself, how are you feeling? My wish is that you feel calm, centered and compassionate.

Embrace the moment!

Lori

Today’s Mindful Moment

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Observe your breath. Is it fast and shallow or slow and heavy?  Slowly breathe in for the count of 5, hold for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts and hold.  Do this 5 times.  Are you feeling more centered?  Continue to breathe slowly while observing your hands.  Your hands are an amazing gift, they soothed you as a baby, held the crayon that created your first masterpiece, reached out to brace the fall during your first steps, touched the face of a loving guardian.  Your hands are strong; they have wielded a hammer that has built something.  Your hands are gentle; they have held and soothed a crying child.  Take a moment to fully appreciate the beauty of your hands and the tasks they complete each and every day.

Check in with yourself, how are you feeling? My wish is that you feel calm, centered and appreciative.

Embrace the moment!

Lori

Today’s Mindful Moment

Close your eyes and breathe, observe your breath. Is it fast and shallow or slow and heavy?  Now, breathe in for the count of 5, hold for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts and hold.  Do this 5 times.  Are you feeling more centered?  Continue to breathe slowly but also roll your head slowly to the right 5 times and then to the left 5 times.  Pay close attention to how you feel. Does your head feel heavy? Does your neck feel stiff? Do you feel tense or relaxed? Open your eyes.

Check in with yourself, how are you feeling? My wish is that you feel calm and centered.

Embrace the moment!

Lori

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Mindful Moments

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I have decided to change the format of my mindfulness posts.  I will still continue to write longer posts on Mindfulness but have decided to start a daily Mindfulness Moment series.  Each day I will introduce a suggested mindful moment that will provide an opportunity to check in with yourself and your surroundings.

A formal mindful meditation is usually around 15 – 30 minutes a day. When just starting out this is a very uncomfortable length of time, Mindful Moments will be short bursts of Mindful awareness that are intended to bring your busy and over stimulated mind to a calm and grounded place.

I hope you enjoy Mindful Moments 🙂

P.S. Check in tomorrow for the first mindful moment!

Mindfulness and the Samurai

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My son recently read a book for his English class, Samurai Shortstop by Alan Gratz.  I picked it up one day and read it through.  Samurai Shortstop is a fascinating historical novel which takes place in 1890’s Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration.  This is a transitional time between traditions and modern values in Japan.  A time, as we are reminded by one of the characters, when Western influences are eroding Japan’s cultural heritage. In the novel, the main character, Toyo, learns the fundamentals of being a samurai with his father who clings to the “traditional” Japanese way of life.

Besides being a good read, the book is infused with examples of Mindfulness. It is interesting to me, that once you start bringing mindful awareness into your life, you recognize mindfulness steeped in many traditions, stories, songs, sports, and ways of life.  Mindfulness is not a new way of focusing your attention; it is a learned awareness that has been around for centuries.

“Clear your mind. Let it become empty,” Sotaro counseled him, “so it is not filled with the past or the future, but with the present. The now.”

“It will be difficult at first,” Sotaro said. “The very act of trying to forget will cause you to remember. To help focus your thoughts, listen for the sound of the wind in the sakura.” Sotaro paused. “Do you hear it?”

Later in the book Toyo discusses his samurai lessons with a friend.

“We sat around trying to hear the stupid wind in the stupid sakura. I’m supposed to be able to hear it any time I want. But I don’t even know what that’s supposed to sound like.”

You’re not supposed to just hear it,” Fuji said. “You’re supposed to see it too. In your mind. It’s a way to focus your thoughts.”

 “We were taught to meditate before our sumo matches,” said Fuji. “They told us to imagine we were the ceaseless river pushing an immovable stone.  I didn’t really understand what they meant until I went down to the river and really thought about it.  After that, I could picture it anytime I wanted to.”

Mindfulness can be as simple and as frustrating as that. To focus our thoughts without judgement is all that is required; it just takes a little practice, patience and loving kindness.

Embrace the moment!

Lori

Mindfulness and Observation

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Children are playing on green meadow

Have you ever watched a child, observed them, with an open heart? Children are a pure delight; they dance through the halls rather than walk. They have conversations with themselves; playing out stories as they move through their day. Children are incredibly creative and inquisitive and they tend to be in the moment as they become completely enraptured in what they do.  The reward is in the execution of the undertaking they are focused on.  As adults our tendency is to be more task oriented, rewarding ourselves only once our list is completed.

The mindfulness exercise today is to take one task on your list and run through it mindfully. While washing the dishes for instance, watch closely as the sink fills with water.  Ask yourself how the water flows through the pipes and out the faucet? Listen to the flow of water as it fills the sink.  As you pour detergent in the sink watch as the bubbles form, listen as they pop.  When you place your hands in the water, how does the water feel on your skin? Is it hot? Pop the bubbles between your hands. Become childlike in performing your chosen task, approach it with mindful attentiveness, becoming truly aware of the process.  As you go through your days take notice of different tasks you usually perform without much attention. How does performing them mindfully alter the experience? You may find your tasks becoming much more interesting.

Be Forever Mindful, Lori