I chose the word breathe as my word for 2012. The next day I started getting itchy. Is this the right word? Shouldn't I be trying to do more? I saw all these other lovely, active words spiraling around me: soar, cultivate, connect, do, decide, focus ... and I loved them all.
Breathe feels decidedly unambitious. I mean, I do it without thinking, right? Except that's just it.
I don't want to take anything for granted this year. I want this to be a year of gratitude. Of being present. It sounds so simple and it is ... but it also isn't.
When I started working at Aveda, I loved the idea that I could attend a yoga session during my lunch hour. I had the hardest time, however, focussing my attention on the mat when my mind was buzzing from the go-go-go busy-ness of work. Many times I just couldn't do it. I'd show up with my mat but I just couldn't stay there, not when my to-do list was screaming at me. I felt like I was hyperventilating. Much later, I found that focusing on my breath -- being present on the mat -- was the single most important to-do of my day. On those days I returned to my desk focussed and refreshed and I was able to do so much more.
1 comments:
I will say that I have been working a morning meditation practice for the past month and breathing? It's MUCH HARDER than it sounds.
I never realized how hard, and I think I used to be better at it, but yeah. This is serious, intentional work.
For what it's worth, I think it's a great word.
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