This is it

That was one of the messages from our Mindful Living class that really hit home for me.  I am someone who is always looking for what comes next, which is NOT living in the present. Our teacher told us to stop looking for the next step, and to say, "this is it." This is where I am supposed to be and this is what I am supposed to be doing right now.

We were given homework this week as a way to incorporate what we have learned. My homework is to drive to work each day by taking a different route. The point is to break the auto-pilot behaviors in my day. I admit it has been a bit challenging for me to do this because I always take the direct (read: shortest) route. In a way, it seems silly to take the longer route. I admit that I am enjoying it. Yesterday, the sunrise was beautiful with the mist coming off the water. My drive to work is breathtaking, and yet I rarely take a breath to enjoy it. I also turned off the radio and was alone with my thoughts and feelings. While it was odd, it was quite peaceful. I did not think about work or my day, but rather I focused on my blessings.

I am trying to work in small moments into my day where I can just be. Just breath. It feels so good to take a small (2-3 minutes) total break and close my eyes. I jokingly call it my happy place, and indeed, it is. It is a place to stop being frantic, stop worrying about the future, stop trying to control what cannot be controlled. Sometimes, I just have to let life be what it will be. While it is terrifying, it is also wonderfully freeing.