Mindful Living Matters

Day 29 of Mindful Me

It's been a while since I rolled my mat out the back.

But the weather is getting warmer, the seasons are transitioning, and today felt like the perfect time to return.

I scaled things back and kept my movement simple. Just 15 minutes of mindful yoga, followed by three minutes of breathing.

And gosh... it was blissful.

Those three minutes seemed to go on forever.

Maybe that's the power of mindfulness.

When we truly pause and become present, time seems to stretch.

For a few moments, there is nowhere else to be.

Day 28 of Mindful Me

This is my mindful moment

Day 27 of Mindful Me
Look at her.
Paws crossed. Alert. Watching. Waiting.
She looks like the absolute picture of mindfulness.
Although, knowing her, she's probably thinking about dinner.
But that's the thing—we don't actually know what she's thinking.
We humans are very good at filling in the gaps and making assumptions.
Maybe today's mindful moment is simply this:
Notice what you see without needing to create the story around it.
Just observe.
And leave a little space for curiosity.
Although I'm still fairly certain she's thinking about dinner...

Day 26 of Mindful Me
Sometimes the mindful choice is to put the phone down.
The other day I consciously chose to step away from my screen and pick up a real book instead.
Half an hour of tea, pages and no notifications.
It was surprisingly refreshing to go a little analogue.
A reminder that sometimes our best reset is simply disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with something real.
When was the last time you put your phone down just to be?

Day 25 of Mindful Me
Last night I went to Cirque du Soleil and it was sensational.
Every act was an incredible combination of physical strength, balance, precision and absolute focus.
But one performance in particular captivated me.
I was completely riveted. Watching every movement. Waiting for the next moment. Completely present.
Well... almost. 😂 I did take a few photos, but not many.
And perhaps that's the point.
Sometimes mindfulness isn't something we consciously practise.
Sometimes we're simply so present in a moment that everything else disappears.
Last night's mindful moment was found in awe.
What has captivated you lately?

Day 24 of Mindful Me

In perimenopause, slowing down can be an important part of looking after ourselves.

Our days don't always need more doing.

Sometimes our nervous system needs a little space to pause, breathe and reset.

Today’s mindful moment: slow down.

A few quiet minutes can make a difference.

Day 23 of Mindful Me

This morning I went shopping in my garden in preparation for dinner tonight.

Fresh herbs, greens and whatever else caught my eye became the inspiration for a nourishing Japanese-inspired dinner.

It was about slowing down, picking what I needed, preparing it with intention and then sitting down to enjoy it.

From garden to plate.

A little nature.
A little creativity.
A little nourishment.

Sometimes a mindful moment can be as simple as making dinner.

Day 22 of Mindful Me
It's been three days since I posted a mindful moment.
And the truth is... I haven't consciously practised mindfulness in those three days.
Life has been busy. I've just been getting on with it.
But perhaps that's a mindful lesson in itself.
Mindfulness isn't something we get "right" every day.
Sometimes we notice.
Sometimes we forget.
Sometimes we come back.
And today, as I take the Ekka public holiday, I came back.
Just 10 minutes to be.
No agenda. No productivity. No trying to achieve anything.
And then the girls joined me.
They did what dogs do... wandered around, sniffed, explored and generally just were.
And watching them brought me so much joy.
I'd forgotten how much joy can be found in simply giving ourselves 10 minutes to be present.
So rather than catching up on the three days I've missed, I'm starting again.
No judgement.
Just a little pause, a little joy and a reminder that sometimes 10 minutes is enough.

Day 21 of Mindful Me

Today I'm practising the pause between receiving and responding.

A text message. An email. A comment that catches me off guard.

That little urge to immediately type back and hit send.

Instead...

Pause. Breathe. Read it again. Consider.

Then respond.

Not every message needs an immediate reaction. Sometimes giving ourselves a little space allows us to respond from a place of clarity rather than emotion.

Be responsive, not reactive.

A few seconds of mindfulness can change the whole conversation.

Where could you create a little more space before responding today?