January thoughts on mindfulness

Time seems so infinite, but we all have a finite amount of time here on Earth and that almost makes making decisions easier. Things I say yes or no to, people I give my energy and attention to and how I react to certain situations all changes when I think about how I want to be spending my precious time.

Of course, exactly how we spend our time isn’t always possible to control, whether we’re in school or have work arrangements that basically determine our lifestyle, but we can control how we spend our time within these constraints as well as outside of them.

As I get older and have school, as far as I know for now, behind me, I realize just how much of my life is in my hands as well as just how precious time is. This is my case for being more mindful in life. It’s easy to be in a stressful rut and think that next week will be better or wish for a different job or money and think that it will all be better once these achievements are made in x number of years. It’s simple to think that it’s always going to get better at a different time in life. But what about the life that we have now?

There are only so many days that we have and the one that we are in now is one of them. If you want or need something to change, just go for it now. Nothing is going to change tomorrow, the next day or the next. If there is something that doesn’t feel right, it’s up to you to make that change.

Being mindful of our time can help us achieve the things that we really care about in life as well as really savor life as well. Most of the time it’s the little things, the little random days you think will be another boring day that turns out to be the memory that stands out the most. Say yes to more things that make you happy, for me it’s being with my family, traveling together and going on adventures, those are the memories that I keep with me forever. And conversely, saying no to more things that don’t make us feel good. Whether more boundaries with people, activities you don’t enjoy or anything else that doesn’t make you immediately want to say yes.

I think that health doesn’t just come from obsessing over nutrition and fitness but from enjoying the little moments in life with the people that mean the most as well as having something to achieve for, a motivation to wake up in the mornings—a more mindful way of going about life.