In the fall of last year, I began to work on my mindset. This has included a few different elements, but among them learning to meditate. Not quite ready to commit to a course in mediation, I am taking baby steps with an app and weekly commitment. I have uncovered a few challenges in the process, mostly my busy mind and finding the time to sit quietly for 10 minutes daily.
In an effort to make this happen, I am working to be flexible on where and when I get my minutes of mediation into my routine. I’m getting it done mostly at home in the morning with the evening as a last resort. In a pinch, I’ll take some time between sessions in my office when I can, but that’s not my first choice.
One particularly busy morning, I skipped mediating at home. My commute to work, which can be trafficky for the last 3 miles was super smooth. As I fantasized about getting in some quiet time before my first session, I reached my office with about 25 minutes to spare. This was ideal, I thought.
I would have time to prepare for the day and have 15 minutes to meditate, 5 more than my average. I was thrilled. This would be a fantastic beginning to my day. I’d have time to center myself, which always paid off in the quality of day I had. I grabbed my bag, my purse and my lunch, unlocked the door and scooted up the stairs. I was so excited.
In my haste to get myself started, I caught the front of my sandal on the top stair. I am not sure how I did it, but I was in a motion that led me to catch the second shoe front on the same stair. I went careening forward, head first into the wall. It was a major bonk that certainly stopped my momentum.
I was stunned, baffled and had an instant bump on my head. As I stood in the hallway gathering my belongings, I was a little disoriented, but aware enough to know that I was super lucky in that I was alone. This way, knowledge of my stunt stayed between me and the wall. (and now you).
I unlocked my office, went in, had a seat on the couch. As I sat collecting my thoughts, I was flooded by the irony of my apparent mindlessness on the way to mindfulness. I was so focused on the next step, that I forgot about the last step and fell.
Note to self: Mindfulness can begin long before I start the app.
