Mindfulness

Do you ever find your mind wandering during the day?

If you're like me, you find your mind meanders down many paths each day! 🤪

You may start out with a pleasant storyline and before you know it a familiar sense of dread, panic, or anger infiltrates your mind.

Uh oh... you were having a lovely morning walk, looking around and then out of no-where, there's the conversation you just had with your partner playing out in your mind again or maybe worry sets in about the meeting with your boss next…

Do you ever try to explore your anxious mind and end up feeling confused or more anxious?

Trying to help our anxious mind solve a problem when we're in the throws of anxiety is like trying to repair a car as it's driving down the road.

It's physics really... increased motion leads to more motion. Trying to handle anxiety with an anxious mind, leads to increased anxiety.

The anxious mind forces the body to amplify anxiety with increased physiological functioning (increased heart rate, increase…

I find myself in a season of emotional unfolding.

You may as well. 

This season isn't asking for a deep analysis. It is asking for time, space to just be, and deep compassion for all of who we were in the past... or who we thought we needed to be. 

This season is asking for a turning inward.

Embracing a new way of being can often bring forward years of blocked or repressed emotions, thoughts, and patterns of living so deeply embedded in our neurons that they freely run in the background as …

We hear messages from every angle to think positively, look on the bright side, or be grateful.

Yet if you're anything like me, your brain interjects a BIG "yeah, but" or maybe a simple "hmpfh" squeaks out of your mouth in disbelief.

Our internal defense systems, old patterns for safety, and subconscious core negative beliefs are right there to raise a flag in disagreement the minute something positive is introduced into our system.

This doesn't make you defective, disordered, or broken dear …

You may have days when checking inside with your Inner World may feel too broad, unending, or just plain overwhelming.

On those days I like to simplify.

This is a simple doodle exercise for you to practice checking in with yourself. All it requires is:

• a piece of paper
• pencil/pen
• and that moment during the day when you notice your heart

As you are going about your day and feel that twinge, cringe, or ache inside... allow yourself to stop for just a moment. Take a breath. What do you no…

This Doodle Lesson discusses Mindfulness & Self-Compassion.

Materials used:

• Artsy 42 Watercolors
• Canson Watercolor Paper 9 x 12
• Shuffle Art Markers
• Micron Pens
• Pigma Sensei Pen

Happy Doodling,

Video is 5 minutes in length, set to music. Music courtesy of: https://www.bensound.com (acoustic breeze)

I notice sound.

I have always noticed sounds.

Therefore, I believe, sound naturally surrounds me. From mantle clocks I was placed under as an infant, to peacocks running wild and squawking around my childhood home. To choices I’ve made in my life that have included sounds such as living under a flight path for LAX or by a freeway. Sound is always with me.

Even when I have the well thought out intention to avoid noise, it finds me. For example, in my current suite of offices, I intentionally c…

Do you ever have one of those days…

Either it feels that nothing goes right, there’s just too much to do, or everything you say comes out wrong.

We might start the day feeling very optimistic, “Today will be a good day!” And if you’re anything like me, some mishap occurs within the first few minutes of waking up… “Ugh! The toilet paper roll is empty?” “I spilled my coffee… again.” Life is riddled with small little incidents that can throw us off course. If we let them.

Tandy enc…

I always come back to this…

Let your thoughts go. Be here now. Focus on your breath.

A couple of years ago I attended my first weekend silent retreat. How hard could it be to be silent for 48 hours. It was hard (and I cheated a little bit). I’m pretty sure the only reason my head didn’t explode was that I cheated and talked to my hubby at night. Oh and I also texted my daughter. Okay, so maybe I cheated a lot!

I felt pretty confident going in as I practice meditation and mindfulness quite a…