Mindful Appreciation

May 8, 2015

Have you ever lost yourself in the beauty or simplicity of something or someone? Have you ever been engaged in a sport or hobby and be completely mesmerized in the activity?  How does it make you feel?

Today I found myself reflecting on the beauty of my children. And realized we all have opportunities to see, feel, hear and touch beauty in our lives every day. Yet we often focus on the negative, what’s not right or what’s not available. I encourage you to reflect on this and make a shift to appreciate the things that are always present for you to appreciate.

Often we work through tasks and are not even paying attention to what we are doing. Have you ever driven home and not even recalled your drive home? Our mind is constantly thinking about what happened earlier in the day, who said what to you, what you have to do tonight or tomorrow and so on. And then one wonders why more and more people suffer from conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Eckhart Tolle says “the primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but our thoughts about it”.

I use to dread having to prepare lunches for my family and I for the next day. However one night while cutting an apple I was mesmerized by the simple beauty in an apple. The smooth surface, the red shades of the skin, the sound and feel as the knife cut through the apple. Then as it opened, the smell of apple, the juices of the apple on the chopping board, and the little black seeds. In noticed how my fingers held the knife and was amazed at all the little movements my fingers could do in coordination with my eyes! As unusual as this may sound – I have never enjoyed cutting an apple as much as I did that day. I was completely lost in the moment and even found myself smiling.

This is mindful appreciation – truly experience things with all our senses and feeling gratitude for it.

I wish for you to see all the opportunities in your day in which to be mindful and feel appreciation or gratitude. Walking to and from your car notice your steps or movements, the people, trees and things around you. When you connect with family or friends notice their eyes, their smile and what they are saying (without already thinking of what you are going to say next). I often admire my children’s faces – their little eyelashes and smiles. The other day I was amazed by now my little son’s fingers knew how to ties his shoe laces!

We are frequently caught up in our minds and thus do not allow ourselves to experience the NOW.

Yet there is so much beauty to be appreciated in the present moment.

There is a reason it is called the present moment. Enjoy this gift!

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I’m curious – what makes it challenging for you to appreciate the present moment? Comment below!

With Love,

Avdeep