When you know you should, but you don’t

It would be good to exercise three times a week, but I don’t.

I need to do daily stretches for my back, but I don’t.

It would be better to clean my car myself instead of paying for a car wash – but it’s probably never going to happen.

No doubt you’ve got your own list.

One of those I hear quite often is about people not practicing mindfulness when they know it would be better if they did. They they enjoy the practice, they are convinced of the benefits, yet somehow it just does not happen.

So here’s an interesting thing to try.

Consider yesterday. Have a think about what you were doing. Now identify three opportunities where you could have done a brief mediation – even for literally one minute. I’m sure that somewhere in the day you had three separate minutes when you could have done something in a deliberately mindful way, or used a formal mediation.

So what stopped you? Really think here. On each of those occasions what truly stopped you? Lack of privacy? Didn’t have a mediation with you? Felt too busy? Just didn’t bring it to mind?

Whatever your reasons, look at a way of eliminating one of them. Just one. And then do that minute today.

If you’re stuck for a mediation try this one.

Regardless of whether you are sitting or standing, eyes closed or looking at a fixed point:

Feel your feet against the floor, focus on the connection between your feet and the ground on which you are standing.

Now move your attention to your breathing – noticing it, not changing it.

For the rest of the minute pay attention to your breathing, maybe silently adding the words in and out to accompany your breath.

At the end of a minute, resume your day and congratulate yourself for taking the minute. And decide to do it again tomorrow.