Wherever You Go, There You Are

My father loved this saying! It's one of those parent-isms that stayed with me. In preparation for this post, I sought out a how-to on meditation. This book, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, jumped out at me from the shelf at Barnes and Noble because of my connection with the title phrase, Wherever You Go, There You Are.

"Like it or not, this moment is all we really have to work with."

Often, I wonder how different my life would be if I could change the past. I wouldn't even recognize myself if I had this superpower. Daily, I imagine a future for which I've made no real effort. I practice my Oprah interview in the bathroom mirror, envisioning my world tour once I'm finally published. It's a rare moment, though, when I focus on the present, the one thing I have any real control over.

Being a writer, it's not in my nature to be present in the moment. There are characters running around in my head, living their lives, demanding my attention. My imagination is fully engaged, at all times. So, the decision to practice Mindful Mondays is not one I take lightly. Logically, though, I understand the importance of  maintaining your mental health. It can't be ignored.

One of the perks of single life is that I never have to consider how my decisions will affect others. As a result, I don't put much thought into those day-to-day decisions we all make, though they may have a tremendous affect on me.

By the end of this book, I hope to have mastered the art of mindfulness. For now, I'll settle just being aware of my mindlessness. I've used mantras in the past to guide me through difficult times. For this Mindful Monday, I've chosen to use the mantra, be mindful.

It's Monday and my day job is requiring I work two hours of mandatory overtime, so I imagine I will use this phrase quite a bit today. What are some mantras you use to get through difficult times?