Today is March 24 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is “How often are you intentionally allowing yourself opportunities to be mindful?”
Those who navigate the chaos practice mindfulness in order to observe both internal and external situations.
Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to what is happening right now, by observing what’s going on inside (your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations) and outside (your interactions and surroundings) with an open mind and without judging.
With so many distractions, obligations, and commitments, it can be very challenging to intentionally allow yourself opportunities to be mindful.
But the research demonstrates that doing so has some very positive benefits.
In an April 23, 2016 New York Times editorial, Matthew E May explained that there are two opposing approaches to mindfulness: Eastern and Western.
The Eastern view is more about quieting the mind and suspending thought.
One such strategy for suspending thought is the practice of yoga. When one is finished with all of the physical postures in a yoga practice they should be able to quiet the mind and suspend thought as they rest in a meditative state.
This philosophy is almost the complete opposite of the Western view of mindfulness, which centers on active thinking. Both views share the same goal: avoiding mindlessness.
“When we’re mindless, the past is riding herd over the present. We get trapped in categories created in the past, stuck in rigid perspectives, oblivious to alternative views. This gives us the illusion of certainty.”
We convince ourselves that the present is something other than what it truly is. Other researchers would suggest mindfulness does even more.
For example, Dr. Daniel J. Siegel echoes May’s belief. Siegel, author of Mindsight, wrote “Research has proven that mindfulness training integrates the brain and strengthens the important executive functions that support emotional and social intelligence as well as academic success.”
Russian author Leo Tolstoy wrote “In the same way as you cannot work with bees without being cautious, you cannot work with people without being mindful of their humanity.”
How often are you intentionally allowing yourself opportunities to be mindful?
As you go about your day, consider asking yourself are you mindful of the humanity of others?