Every morning I make a list of what’s on the agenda for the day. Yesterday morning I found myself feeling anxious and wondered where that was coming from. I believe the key to living a mindful life is stopping and examining our emotional triggers when they occur.

 

 

First – take a deep breath, Second – ask yourself:

 

• What am I feeling? – Anxiety, fear, depression, etc.

• How long have I been feeling this way? – For a while? Just started?

• Why am I feeling this way? – What happened? What was the Trigger?

 

mind·ful·ness

1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something”

2. 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.

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Like a journalist, “Who, What, When, Where, Why”, scoping out the details, I believe we write our own story. We do so by picking up the pen and envisioning how the day will transpire. One of my favorite quotes is – “In the story of your life, don’t let somebody else hold the pen”.

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Because my husband tends to look at the world with a more pragmatic eye, I decided to pose the question – what comes to mind when you hear the statement – “Nothing is Real ‘Til I Make It”? I wanted his opinion on how this outlook applies, practically. His response – “Vision, dreams, and aspirations. However, that’s all fine and well until you have to do something with it. When talking to clients about their vision, I remind them that until you take the necessary steps to realize your aspirations, they probably won’t happen.”

 

We both agreed that planning and preparation are essential to attaining our goals and he referenced Stephen R. Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” as a great read on blending the philosophic with the practical since Covey’s message is about creating our reality through a “holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems.” 

 

Stephen R. Covey

Investigating my feelings yesterday, I believe the trigger was my upcoming Web Design class. I always want to do my best, so being a little competitive😄 I check out my classmate’s projects for comparison. Understanding we have various levels of knowledge on this subject, I strive to be as creative as I can and set a standard for my work.  

The class hadn’t even happened yet and I was already starting to doubt my abilities. So, taking the mindful approach, I decided that instead of feeling anxious about how my project would turn out, I stopped, took a breath, and told myself  – “Nothing is real ’til I make it.”  In Covey terms, that meant being attentive in class, reviewing my notes, asking questions, and producing the best project possible.  Effecting my success by marrying both faith and plain, old-fashioned, hard work.

 

I’m always advocating if you believe it you can achieve it, so, this was a perfect opportunity to take my own advice:)