Everyday Mindfulness

Hello! Here you will find a short post about how being mindful is comparable to having a GPS for your mind. Hope you all enjoy!

Just like using a GPS when we are driving or walking helps us use our time to the best of our abilities, at least it’s supposed to, mindfulness enables us to make the most of the minds we have. For one, getting to know our minds through mindfulness is comparable to using a GPS because we can understand how we automatically react to certain situations that may make us anxious, jealous, upset, etc. The way we react to certain situations becomes apparent and we can start responding to them in the best way possible. Also we can then discern what thought patterns and habits we have that we want to let go of.

For example, imagine being at the grocery store with a friend. When it is time to pay for everything and you don’t know which line to pick your friend chooses a line for you. You agree with her but then you soon realize that it is the slowest line in the store. Some of us may start thinking negative thoughts until our thought process spirals out of control and we end up despising our friend just because they made a suggestion. Luckily you have been practicing mindfulness so you notice that irritation, give it space, and let it pass without allowing it to alter the present moment. You are responding to the situation instead of letting yourself get hooked by your emotions.

Find the original article here: http://bit.ly/1pEzllt

Just to let you know that I prefer it when the text of the article is here in the forum, so that any readers don't have to click through again. It also helps to keep people here, and keep building the community.

I've edited the topic accordingly, and I will give it some shouts. Who are you by the way, why don't you come and introduce yourself to us?

I really like this post - I have posted a link to it on the Everyday-Mindfulness Facebook page too, with a link to our discussion here. I'd had this thought myself when I missed a turn on the Motorway and began to look for a route over side roads to get back to my destination. The SatNav just told us to come off at the next junction, turn around and go back on the motorway to the junction we missed, (which turned out to be a very quick solution, whereas my route would have been long and windy). I realised that I hadn't let myself look at the turning back option because it felt like a 'failure' on my part; I'd missed the turn so I wanted another 'new' route so I didn't have to face up to my mistake. I think we do this in life too, not turning back when that might be the most self-caring thing to do. My thinking and ruminating pushed me to make a poor decision, whereas that SatNav which isn't self-critical just did the sensible, mindful, thing without judging itself.