Last night I heard something that always brings a smile to my face but which I don’t mindfully acknowledge enough.
One daily exercise I learned from a mindfulness program is the 10-Finger Appreciation. We mindfully go through ten things – big or small – we appreciate, and observe how our body feels.
Mindful appreciation, my mindfulness guru calls it. The exercise quietens the mind and helps break us out of our auto-pilot mode – which helps me focus.
I find it difficult to sit for ten minutes and get to ten things, so I do what I can. Sometimes it’s three things, sometimes just one.
My son likes to whistle in the shower.
Whenever I hear it – no matter how triggered I feel about how long he takes in the bathroom – it brings a feeling of “all is well in the world” to my core.
It brings me peace, it energizes me.
And as he prepares to leave the nest in the next year or two, I’m beginning to appreciate such moments more.
This week, I hope we can all find the time and mindfulness to slow down, smell the roses and to listen to a special someone whistle.