Jane Lodato: Pause

With all that is stressful in the world and perhaps in your life, finding happiness may seem challenging.  Often we think "if this happens, then my life will be happy".  Letting go of the "if only this, then that" and tuning in to the present moment can be a more rewarding way to navigate one's life.  This Pause focuses on a story about "letting go of your cows"...

Is your mind racing?  Is your body tense, contracted?  What feelings might be in the driver's seat?  The practice of checking in with yourself, noting how you are feeling, what mood you are in and what you are thinking, can help you become familiar with the landscape that is you.   By becoming aware of what is driving us at any particular moment we pause, and we gain insight into our own reac...

We can be tenacious when it comes to needing something to be a certain way, believing someone or a situation needs to change, or perhaps feeling we "should" be or do something in particular.  The "shoulds" can be a signal that we might be swimming upstream,  resisting.  Exploring how it might feel to let go is a useful practice in honing the ability to get perspective.   If we...

This is an introduction to Mindfulness.  10 Deep Breaths is a great basic practice that you can do anytime.  It can be helpful when the mind is racing, when feeling anxious or frustrated.  

When our minds are running at full speed we can feel overwhelmed.  This practice will help you to take a step back, regroup and reset.  When we are not so caught up in our heads we can find respite within and then proceed with a renewed focus.

Where are you holding your tension?  Our emotions and our day show up in our bodies,  We all contract and armor up throughout each day.  This 10 minute body scan will systematically let you open up and let go.  Try it before going to sleep or any time you need a break.  Practice listening to what your body is telling you about when something is impacting you.  

We all have times when something gets to us, be it a person, a situation, something we are rehashing, or times we judge ourselves.  Try this when you feel frustrated, anxious, angry or judgmental. This practice will help not only to gain perspective but also to loosen the grip of whatever emotion has hold,  or even help you to let go. 

A four minute pause to check in with yourself, come out of your head, into your body, giving yourself encouragement and a reset.