A little mindfulness can go a long way. When we start to see the thoughts and intentions that create our actions and words, we soon start to see how those patterns play out in our lives and determine our approach and mindset to just about everything we do. Are you busy, tempered, hurried, deliberate, pre-occupied, focused, passionate, intense, or light-hearted in your approach? You many think you behave differently or are a different person at work and at home, with some friends and with others, however, your approach to life and your mindset tend to follow you wherever you are.
When you exercise, work on a project, or cook a meal, do you find yourself being methodical, cleaning up as you go, like Warren does? Or do you find yourself getting out all the ingredients, playing music, making a mess, and then cleaning up afterwards, as I would prefer? The end result is the same, however, the approach we take is very different. If you start to be curious about how you do or think about things, you may start to observe that the way you do anything is the way you do everything.
When you are honest with yourself, you start to find patterns that bleed into all aspects of your life, from how you brush your teeth, how you wait in line, how you clean up (or don’t), and the ways you choose to spend your time. And though it is difficult to change our preferences, we can certainly use them to our advantage. When we are mindful, we can work and play with our strengths, and modulate the things that don’t seem to work for us. The first, and sometimes not so easy, step is to create an awareness of these habits and preferences, where they work and where they may not. Watch and see how your tendencies play out in your life.
Once you become aware of the patterns, you can start to see how they have shaped your life. You will also see how a small shift may allow you to make some big changes. These changes can affect the impact you have on others and how you see the world. You will start to see when and where you are at your best, where your preferences and mindset are to your advantage. It will help you create a bigger impact because you are more in tune with how to contribute as only you can. Like most things in life, there isn’t a right answer, a way you should be. Mindfulness and awareness allow us to observe and choose. When you can see the choices and options, it opens whole new doors for you to change what you want, keep what works, and experiment along the way.
