Life is full of tasks that we don’t particularly like to do or even find unpleasant.
Many things leave us thinking what other fun we could be having instead of doing seemingly mindless tasks and chores.
We have two large dogs and with that comes the obligatory yard clean up.
As I started my weekly jaunt around the yard, I found myself thinking about what a truly crappy job this was.
But then I stopped for a moment, took a few deep breaths and tuned in to the world around me.
I heard church bells ringing in the distance. Their musical chime soothed my ears and brought a smile to my face. I felt a calmness throughout my entire body.
The cool breeze made the ornamental grasses dance to its song, waving to the rhythm.
Vibrant blue skies and fluffy clouds filled my vision as the sun warmed my face.
The crisp, cool scent of winter surrounded me as my vision captured evidence of the changing season filled with dying leaves and hibernation of plants.
As I moved to the next chore on my list, I found myself captivated by the brightness of fluorescent green antifreeze, the golden hue of oil and the slosh of the bright blue windshield wiper fluid as I nourished my car.
I turned to see our rescue dog Franklin watching each and every move of a large blackbird and spent a few moments joining him on this endeavor. The skittish movements, the flapping of wings and the searching for crumbs as it danced through tiny puddles.
These moments spent noticing improved my mood and my outlook for the day. It was a simple mindset shift that didn’t take any more time or effort. I got my chores done yet felt more connected and present.
How can you turn the mundane into mindfulness today?
Be well everyone.
Laura
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