|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
040 Considering Wisdom
A weekly newsletter from BobBarnardnm.com
|
Please share this with your friends so we can encourage others to consider wisdom.
|
Thoughts on the intersection of Society/Culture, Productivity/You, and Wisdom/Knowledge.
|
Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech. Benjamin Franklin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My WEEK
A hyperactive and stressful week as I prepared for my two-holiday trips—Phoenix and then New Zealand two weeks later. Then there was lab work to get blood drawn, a Cortaid artery test, and a trip to the periodontist—more surgery in February. Finally, I am done for the year with only one more doctor visit on Monday. I managed to get my articles and newsletter published, but my task list grew longer and longer. But I keep plugging away and reminding myself that what I get done on any given day is enough.
|
So I am in holiday mode between now and February, so blogs and newsletters may be few and far between.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Considering Wisdom.
"Mindfulness meditation doesn't change life. Life remains as fragile and unpredictable as ever. Meditation changes the heart's capacity to accept life as it is." – Sylvia Boorstein.
|
Life is fragile and unpredictable as ever, says Sylvia Boorstein in the quote above. And that is very true. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring or if there will be a tomorrow. We live our lives amid chaos, too much information, and misinformation. But Boorstein also says we can change our lives of chaos by how we meet it and deal with it. She gives us two helpful clues meditation and mindfulness.
|
Meditation is a means of calming our minds and heart when we are all a flutter when we don't know what to do and need to stop and gather ourselves.
|
The most straightforward meditation I fall back on again and again when I am feeling flustered is the box-breathing meditation. First, breathe in for a five out, hold for a five count, breathe out for a five count, hold for a five count, and repeat. While breathing, focus on your breath going into and out of your lungs. As you do this over 3 to 5 times, you will find your feelings of frustration are gone and that you are ready to begin where you left off.
|
The breathing meditation also helps when you are startled by an event and need to pause before responding to it, although you probably wouldn't want to do it for as long.
|
However, along with meditation (contemplating your navel, as some say), some other vital elements help you bring your life into focus.
|
Add an action plan, reflect on your week, and have compassion for yourself. The object of the weekly review is to help you improve your future responses and to understand yourself better, not to beat yourself up.
|
On the other hand, mindfulness reminds us to live a life of focus and be present in the moment. It helps us listen rather than thinking up a response to use as soon as the other person quits speaking. Being mindful helps us live in the now rather than worrying about the past or thinking about the future. Despite the way we act, now is all we have.
|
Mindfulness and meditation don't change your life but change how you respond to chaos.
|
|
- What goals will you finish this year or set for next year?
- Is your plan for taking action toward the goals working?
- How do you need to change your actions and plans for achieving next year’s goals?
|
- begin listing your goals for next year in each area of your life.
- Begin thinking about the weekly rituals you will put in place to help you achieve these goals.
- Start thinking about a plan that identifies the steps or tasks you need to complete each goal.
- Think about building a weekly ritual around what I must do this week, what I should do this week, and what I could do this week.
|
|
|
 
|
|
If you received this from a friend, please subscribe to get your own version by selecting the button below.
|
|
|
|
|
Please send me a comment or a quote you especially like by clicking the button below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
