Mind the Gap, the dog poo, and anything else that will seriously ruin your day

As I end the chapter on Energy, let's take a look at what we've learned.

1. Eat when you're hungry, not when someone else is hungry.
2. Don't let yourself get hangry
3. Take the stairs
4. Look at the big picture
5. Less choices, more decisions
6. It's better to be kind than right
7. When someone throws a cigarette, duck.

It's a little hard to tell if I am more energetic or not. However, the most valuable thing I have learned is to know your limitations and your physical tendencies. I have learned to eat at 11 am and 3 pm, because it is what makes me feel best and helps me maintain my weight. I have learned that I can actually get a lot of homework done on my lunch break, but will not be able to form a coherent sentence between the hours of three and five. So, I do work during lunch, and relax, blog, or run errands during my foggy times. Even if I'm not super peppy and energetic, following these patterns has truly improved my mood and made me feel more productive.

The next segment of my own personal happiness project is called Mindfulness. Psychology today defines mindfulness as "a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience." There is SO much talk about mindfulness these days, and especially it's benefits for people with anxiety and stress (which is pretty much everyone these days).

The problem is, I don't really have the time or desire to meditate for fifteen minutes everyday. Who does? I'm looking to create mindfulness in my own crazy life. To do this, I'm going to focus on three things:

1. Slow Down
2. Listen to the senses
3. Stop negative thoughts or actions

Mindfulness is something I think is beautiful and SO darn difficult to achieve. How do I stop the carousel of to-do's from spinning in my head? How do I stop daydreaming of being a Broadway star while I'm typing people's salaries? How do you get your mind to just not go anywhere than where it's supposed to be? My brain needs like a canine crate, because it's rolling around in a hamster wheel right now, and I have a feeling it's gonna get stuck under the couch and everyone's gonna forget about it.

Clean it up :)
Let it go :)
Eat Right :/
Move more :)
Slow Down :/
Use senses :)
Stop bad thoughts/ actions :/

"Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today."~Seneca

Photo http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/using-mindfulness-to-reduce-stress-96966.aspx