Earlier this week I took a yoga class, and while I’m not doing yoga every damn day (yet), I finally understood what the fuss was all about. It wasn’t my first yoga class, but it was the first time I really understood the mind and body connection, and the importance of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is defined as a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
I was present, alert and completely aware of my body. It was a beginners class so the flow was a familiar one, but the instructor was patient and carefully adjusted my body to help with various poses. I may not look graceful, and I don’t yet have an ounce of flexibility, but for a moment, I felt like I did.
I was able to tune everything else out, and focused only on my breath and ability. I was so warmed up and engaged, I even attempted the crow position, which I held for less than a second. (I’m such a yogi!)
I left the class proud and energized. And then I realized just how few moments I have in a given day when I am not busily multi-tasking.
I compulsively check my phone so much so that I have downloaded an app that tells me how much time I spent on it a day. And it’s scary, and too embarrassing to reveal.
I turn on the TV as soon as I get home, for background noise, so the house feels full if I am alone. A habit I picked up when I lived alone.
It’s impossible for me to sit down on a computer and complete the one task I needed to do, without checking all of my favorite sites, and spiralling into the internet abyss for an hour or two.
I feel rude for not answering texts or calls throughout the day, which ultimately break my concentration from something else. On the flipside, I feel incredible fomo (fear of missing out), if I don’t know what is going on in the world or with my friends and family.
I am actively trying to stop the multi-tasking. As I wrote this sentence, I also thought that I should take a quick break and go on Pinterest to find a dinner idea.
How wonderful would I be at life, if I could bring the same focus and attention to every task and project, as I did to that yoga class? Here’s to not diluting or mixing tasks and not being such a great multi-tasker, after all.
Namaste,
Alina
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