It’s our second snow day in East TN this season. It is a magical time for most. Do you remember being a kid and loving snow days? Getting up early and putting on layers of jackets and pants and boots to go outside and play until your nose is numb? Kids are experts at being in the moment. It is the giving season and I encourage you to give yourself a gift this year— by being present.
We spend so much time rushing around and working. Keeping our hands and minds active with our screens, and constantly engaging in something. I am guilty of it too. We all do this. But we are missing so much around us. Taking even a moment to slow down, look around you, be present. You might be surprised to find your mind and body will relax after just a few moments of being in the here and now.
Today would be a wonderful day for a mindful walk. So that you may really enjoy this winter wonderland. Mindful walking is a your natural pace. First you focus on the sounds you hear. Maybe the birds are singing, or a dog is barking. The sounds of the wind blowing through the trees and the dipping of melting snow.
Then shift to your sense of smell. Can you smell the snow? Do the pine trees give of an aroma of winter? Maybe you can smell a wood burning fire?
Next you focus on what you see. The glistening of the snow as the sun hits it just right. The twinkling of lights on door ways. The clear and blue sky above you. Your foot prints in the snow.
In the last moments of your walk, focus on how you feel. Are you warm? Is the cold air nipping at your nose? Are you tired from the walk or feel energized? Do you feel more calm then when you started?