Mindful Hack #65

I just returned to reality from the pleasure of spending a few days in the mountains. I had almost forgotten how grounding spending time in nature can be, and relished the slower pace of some downtime. I was struck by how much more I noticed about my surroundings, and the unfolding of events during this short reprieve. I was reminded of how important it is to take pause every now and then in order to really be present to the life unfolding around me. It’s so much easier to show up your best self when you give yourself the space to do that.

We met up with some friends for a round of golf, something my girlfriend and I are still learning while the boys are mastering. It would be so easy to get frustrated and impatient with the process, and I was so inspired by how mindfully my girlfriend played. A couple of times, she was displeased with her swing, but instead of throwing the club into the air or muttering profanities (which I’ve been tempted to do more than once), she stepped back from the ball, looked around at the scenery surrounding us, took a breath then stepped forward again. Each time she did this, she connected beautifully. She’s my new golf guru and when I followed suit, I had the same experience (most of the time 😉).

Taking a moment to become present to whatever we’re about to do doesn’t take a lot of time or effort, it’s just about remembering to do it. So this week, I’ll offer you this:

Use a pause to your advantage. Waiting a beat before you respond, make a decision or swing a golf club, can make all the difference.