Mindfully connecting with family
“Have you offered your presence to the person you love? Are you so busy that you cannot be there for that person? If you are a father or a mother, or a partner, generate your own presence, because that is the most precious gift you can offer.
When the other person realizes that his or her presence has been recognized and confirmed, he or she will blossom like a flower.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay),
you are here, Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment
Even when we are present in body, are we present in mind? Often we get so caught up in the tasks we need to accomplish for the day, or the emails we have to respond to, or the phone calls we have to make that we forget to fully connect with those around us. One day I was typing an email back and forth with a colleague who was down the hall. “This is ridiculous,” I thought, “I should get up and go talk to her in person.” Having a ten-minute discussion with her drastically reduced the amount of time and energy it would have taken to email back and forth. We ended up also connecting on a personal level by giving each other support around being sleep deprived working moms. All in all, I left the conversation feeling a bit lighter than I had before, and even got some exercise from getting up and walking.
We have an opportunity to truly connect with others in our personal lives as well. For example, there were days I went home feeling completely drained and couldn’t understand why I didn’t have any energy left to be present to my family. Mindfulness practice helped me notice when negative thoughts were impacting my relationships. For example, I noticed that when I was tired, time with my kids started to feel like another chore to complete on the to do list. On my commute home I would notice my busy mind running through all the tasks that needed to be done once I got home:
“I have to help prepare dinner, clean up, get the kids washed up, brush their teeth, get my stuff together for tomorrow…Oh, and I have to enter my work time sheets, check emails and throw in a load of laundry too.”
I realized that this train of thought left me feeling exhausted by the time I got home. Mindfulness practice helps us focus on being in the present moment and not constantly anticipating what’s next. With mindfulness we can pay attention to the beautiful landscape as the sun sets and notice the vibrant colors bounce off the trees and clouds. I find the best nights are when I’ve taken the time to notice what’s around me instead of ruminating over tasks and to do lists. I then feel energized enough to play with my kids, mindfully connect with my husband or to have a heart to heart chat with a good friend.
Today’s Practice:
Take the time to notice what’s around you using your five senses. Be mindful of the types of thoughts you are having. Are they inspiring you or draining you? Are they helping you connect with loved ones in meaningful ways? Notice the scenery on your commute home. Sing and dance with your kids after dinner. Go on a mindful walk. Turn off the TV and play instead. Kick the ball around in the yard. Catch fireflies. Enjoy every lick of the ice cream cone with your favorite toppings. Make eye contact with your loved ones. Be present. Be there mentally and physically, because after all, “that is the most precious gift you can offer.”