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I haven’t posted a Tuesday Tip & Tidbits for a few weeks now because I have been overwhelmed with “things”.  You know those “things” in life – work, family, holidays, finances, the house, the car…I could go on.  I felt I couldn’t carve out 15-20 minutes in my day to type up a little something to share with y’all until now.  I have been talking to someone who has gotten me motivated to meditate daily.  When people say meditate, a whole lot of images and ideas may come up so let me clarify what I mean when I say meditate.  I find a comfortable position in a location in the house where I won’t be bothered and then I sit with my eyes closed and concentrate solely on my breathing.  I notice the breath in.  I notice the breath out.  I notice my mind wandering, thinking about “things” and I gently bring it back to my breathing.  It’s a constant refocusing to stay present in the moment.  As a beginner, I am doing this for approximately 5 minutes each day, although I must admit that when I am able to really be present with my breath, I have no idea how long I have been meditating.  It feels good and my mind doesn’t seem to race quite as much after I’m done.  And I’ve found that the more I do it, the easier it is to get to that place of mindfulness.  I’ll work up to 1-15 minutes, maybe longer but I wanted to start with baby steps.  None of us are good at meditating – it’s a learned practice.  Our minds are pulled in a thousand directions each day; it’s no wonder we have a hard time quieting the mind and just being present in the moment, noticing the act of breathing – the very thing that keeps us alive.

Give it a shot.  Find a place where you won’t be distracted by phones, televisions, kids, dogs or roommates (to name a few).  Get comfortable.  Now focus on breath. If a thought pops up, let it go and get back to focusing on your breath.  Inhale.  Exhale.  Repeat.  Be well.