Live For Today the Mindfulness Way

MINDFULNESS

In order for us to live for today we must set aside those thoughts and feelings of our past and future that lead us astray from the present moment.

I was reminded of this mindfulness truism today on my morning walk with my dog Valentino. My mind was a million miles away while he was dragging my body to and fro to places we need not go. As I began to focus my attention on our walk I was then able to enjoy our time together, as it should be.

Feeling Mindful Today

I find it encouraging what mine eyes can see when mind, body, and spirit are bundled together as one. Look! I did not miss the gift of this enlightening palm tree!

The Mindfulness Way Postcard by abitosunshine
Design Full color post cards at zazzle

Yes, setting aside my worries and woes, I am feeling mindful today. I am ready to accept the present for what it is, to live for the moment, to enjoy the gifts each day brings.

In putting mindfulness meditation into practice I am able to focus on feelings in the present moment. I am able to address, yet dismiss, my concerns for the future of my dog and my self, acknowledging past emotions but leaving them where they lay. (Perhaps buried like a dog bone to be dug up another day.)

The Mindful Poet

While on the topic of mindfulness, I would be remiss if I did not introduce you to my author friend, Susan Budig, the Mindful Poet. I've no doubt you will enjoy her collection of poetry as much as I.

For the 26-Week ABC Challenge of emotions, my feeling begins with the letter "M" — MINDFUL.

Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us here each week as we write and share our emotions from A to Z.

Disclosure: Ruth Cox is an Associate of Amazon and Zazzle and may earn income based on purchases made through links in this article.

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Justifiable Emotions

I am feeling knackered and low-spirited of late. Are these feelings justifiable? A tidbit of kvetching is on the agenda.

I am plumb worn out, emotionally and physically. And yes, I would enjoy a bit of cheese with my whine! (Perhaps a glass of wine is in order!)

Yes, I am feeling rather kvetchy these days, what with being sick for nearly a month during an already trying time. That said, yes again — I do feel justified in feeling knackered and low-spirited.

When "they" say a spring or summer cold hits one harder than a winter cold they are not kidding. This one lasted nearly a month and I am just now feeling good again — physically.

Of course, this means I now have the energy to get back to dealing with the emotional side of life things. I found myself in low spirits at the prospect of having to move, even more so when my original plan fell through. Now, I am planning to head back home to Ohio. Wherever I end up landing I will manage one way or another to keep a roof over the heads of me and my dog Valentino.

This past month or two has been truly tough with emotions running the gamut of good, bad, and ugly. However, my motivation to rise above this emotionally exhausting crisis is my love for my dog, the friends and strangers who are supporting me, and yes, my love of my family in Ohio.

I found a great quote on the World Prayers web site that pretty much says it all for me as I plan and work to make my life right in this journey. The site attributes the prayer to Confucius.

"To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right."

Though I may find myself feeling knackered along my way — I shall readily live with any regrets at the end of my life journey.

REGRETS STRETCHED CANVAS PRINT by abitosunshine

My topic today for the 26-Week ABC Challenge of emotions this week begins with letters "J, K, and L" — JUSTIFIABLE, KNACKERED, AND LOW-SPIRITED.

Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us here each week as we write and share emotions from A to Z.

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Infelicitous Dead End Street

When feeling ill at ease with where we are, it is a sure sign it is time to back up, return to that intersection, and turn the other way — before that infelicitous feeling takes over.

Who wants to live on an unhappy dead-end street forever?

Failure to read the signs on the road map of life which warn of possible danger ahead often leaves us feeling infelicitous with our circumstances. Fortunately for us, opportunities will arise to change our ill-chosen direction, thereby turning our life around on a newly chosen path.

It is through redirections that we learn valuable life lessons that will help us make better choices in the future. (Hopefully a little more quickly than we did in the past.) It is these redirects that often turn us from being unhappy campers into feeling felicitous with our life choices.

I have made a few U-turns along life's way and am about to do it again. A couple of years ago I moved from Ohio to Florida, which has left me feeling infelicitous. I am currently making preparations to leave the state of Florida with my hound dog Valentino. Ohio is our tentative destination but who knows how Signs shall sing to me along the way!

SIGNS by The Five Man Electrical Band

Video by Steve Carlsen

I will definitely read the signs and/or create a happy sign or two of my own, as the song saying goes, to ensure better odds of a happy landing rather than getting in a stew due to someone else stirring my emotional pot.

My topic today for the 26-Week ABC Challenge of emotions begins with the letter "I" — feeling INFELICITOUS.

Read all about the ABC Challenge and join us here each week as we write and share emotions from A to Z.

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