I like what this post (#19) had to suggest regarding meditation, because meditation is one of the things I put near the top of my priority list (along with yoga, running and writing, the three other things I basically never do) but have a hard time fitting in. This suggestion is a really workable approach.

Here’s what they say:

“What follows is more a mindfulness exercise, but one that is incredibly effective: Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. And think of your five senses. Touch: what can you feel at this very moment? Taste: what can you taste right now? Sound: what can you hear? Smell: can you smell anything? Sight: what do you see in front of you? Be specific and really explore your senses. Slowly take stock of each of them – one by one.”

Right now, I can…

FEEL that it must be about 23 degrees Celsius in this gym. Good thing I got enough sleep last night (thanks melatonin!) or I’d be dozing off. I can also feel the hard bench under my bum, and my wool socks are itching a bit around the cuff.

TASTE a bit of an aftertaste from the green onions I had on my chicken wrap. I am thankful right now that I didn’t use red or white onions!

HEAR gymnastics coaches speaking loudly, kids squealing, parents chatting and beams & trampolines & the vault pounding, bouncing and vibrating.

SMELL nothing much, but a faint smell of lavender from the Oh! Baby Body Lotion I just put on my hands. (ALERT: Shameless plug! I work there and love their stuff!)

SEE about three dozen parents browsing on their smart phones and gossiping with one another. Below the viewing deck where we’re all sitting, I can see some jumping, tumbling and balancing going on.

The only issue with this is remembering to do it each day! I love the idea of working more mindfulness into my life (and I like to use different ways of doing this), but with any of the methods, it is a matter of remembering to do them. I need to build the habit! For now, I am going to write FEEL, TASTE, HEAR, SMELL, SEE on the palm of my hand to help myself remember.

Other ways I try to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into my routine? Savasana before and after yoga class (or for an even deeper zen feeling, Yin class); trail running (as mentioned though, I haven’t done that for a while — hoping this month marks my return); free writing; sitting quietly in the woods; visualization before going to sleep or after waking up (I use exercises from The Best Meditations on The Planet).

Tomorrow, I’m going to employ Kanban boards in my writing practice – I’ve got the poster board all ready to go!

Check out the Pinterest board for this series.