Take a moment today to practice being generous towards yourself.  Give something that is not necessarily material or tangible, but something that comes from your core being.  Perhaps it is a genuine smile, acknowledgement of a job well done, or appreciation for making time to take good care of yourself.

This may sound strange as we are more accustomed to being generous with others but the practice of inward generosity is one of the foundations of mindfulness.  When we cultivate generosity towards ourself without conditions, we build our capacity to be generous in the external world without expectations for any returns or gains.  Eventually, we come to realize that the more we genuinely give of ourselves, the more we naturally receive. Don’t wait another moment.  Cultivate generosity within as a necessary basic for living mindfully.

Insights often come when we least expect.  Insight, as defined in the dictionary, is: 1) a sudden perception of the solution to a problem or difficulty; 2) the capacity of understanding hidden truths especially of characters or situations.  Living mindfully is key to receiving valuable insights.  When we are fully present in the moment, we are much more likely to receive solutions and hidden truths.  Sometimes these are very subtle like a sudden thought or feeling within, or quite obvious.

The headline of an investment newsletter read “Transform uncertainty into confidence“, followed by “Managing your emotions is one of the most important factors impacting investment success.”  The image above the words is two buds erupting from rich dark soil.  Pausing to ponder the significance of these may reveal hidden truths and solutions that are relevant to your life right now.

Ask yourself “What does this mean to me?”  Does the rich soil infer a need to change something in your environment to achieve growth?  Are your emotions currently blocking you from moving forward in life?  Perhaps these are important insights that deserve your attention right now.  One of the greatest benefits of living mindfully is receiving insights such as these.  Their sources are often surprising so stay open to what each moment presents!

Summer is here. Long hot days and balmy nights replace the cold short days of winter. News of growing wildfires, decreasing air quality and rising temperatures dominate the news.  Enjoying summer can sometimes be challenging and adapting well to dramatic seasonal changes requires mindful awareness.

Anxiety, worry, and sleep problems are common during the summer months.  Break away from limiting thought patterns and bring awareness to inner dialogue about specific problems you may be experiencing.  For instance, if you find yourself saying “I do not sleep well in the heat” or “The heat drains me”, these words only affirm old patterns, ensuring they will remain a problem.

Replace limited thoughts with more positive statements that support wellness and build confidence in yourself.  Choose to say “I always sleep well when I prioritize self-care” or “I am wiser each year and can adapt successfully to hot weather” instead.  Rehearse positive statements aloud and say them with deep conviction, believing it is your reality.  In time, you will notice the difference and old limiting patterns will fade into the past like distant memories!

What nourishes you?  What nourishes you DEEPLY?  As you go about your daily activities, make a mental note of what nourishes you deeply.  It is those activities and experiences that soothes you, brings joy to your heart and naturally feels good.

Perhaps it is time alone, time with a loved one or a favourite pet.  Deep nourishment may involve a long walk on the beach, dining outdoors under a canopy of trees, or a leisurely soak in the tub or pool of water.  Create a list of all the things that nourish you deeply and add to your list regularly.  Whenever life gets hectic and challenging, refer back to this list to remind yourself of the many things you can do to mindfully regain balance!

Our body is always communicating to us.  What is the message you need to hear?  Is it to slow down, take a break, or eat something nutritious?  If you are experiencing discomfort in your body, what is the best thing you can do for yourself in this moment, that does not require medication?

Perhaps it is to simply pause, close your eyes and retreat within.  Drop into non-thinking and connect with body sensations.  Take a deep breath in and as you inhale, allow compassion and peace to enter your being.  As you exhale, release any tension you feel with the out breath.  Continue doing this until you receive insights and a natural state of equilibrium returns. Balance is always available when we integrate mind and body.

When you awake each morning and start a new day, do you find yourself still wearing ‘dream glasses’ as your day progresses?  ‘Dream glasses’ are the lens of which you perceive life, revealing the stories and thoughts you hold of people, places and things around you.  Dream glasses maintain a set vision and inhibit true realities.

Approach each new day and each moment with a fresh open mind.  Develop a sense of curiosity about life.  Embrace wonder and what you don’t know in place of what you do know.  Remember that life is ever-changing, whether you see it or not.  There are always subtle changes that only practicing mindfulness reveals.

While you are busy running errands, stop for a moment in between shops and look up.  Notice the vast infinity above.  Contrast this with the finite on the ground surrounding you and recognize the similarities between you and mother earth and the sky.  You are a physical form, similar to earth and yet also spirit, similar to sky, with infinite imagination for experiencing joy and beauty in the moment.  Look up everyday and remind yourself of this.

Tickle your senses at mealtime.  Add delight to your plate by cutting fruit and vegetables into fun shapes.  Noodle, sliver, or zest them and who knows what you will come up with!  Maybe you will find a little beet bird in a nest of slivered zuchinni or a radish bunny hopping towards a baby carrot.  Perhaps there will be a fresh bouquet of broccoli flowers amidst neon greens.  Let the playful part of yourself loose and have fun being creative.  Then savour the magic you created and savour every last bite!

Approach every meal as if it were it were your very first one.  Honour the sources of your food and all the ways in which your body works to support you.  If possible, find a calm spot to enjoy your meal away from distractions.   Turn off your cell phone, resist the temptation to read or multi-task while eating.  Simply focus on enjoying the meal.

Take time to appreciate the efforts of all those who farmed, transported and prepared the food.  Take time to appreciate the earth’s soil and nourishing qualities of the sun and rain.  And then appreciate yourself for this meal and your body for all the wonder-filled ways in which it works!

Elevate your eating experience to a whole new level by incorporating your sixth sense at least once per week.  This sixth sense is not your intuition, but your sense of adventure!  Try a new food item, cultural dish or restaurant that has piqued your interest.  This may involve a strange fruit or vegetable you saw at the produce market, some enticing aroma wafting from an outdoor grill, or sights and sounds of sizzling foods delivered to a table.

Eating is one of the most wonder-filled (and wonderful!) experiences in life.  Embrace a beginners mind every time you sit down to eat.  Indulge in a variety of foods and delight your taste buds and your 6 senses with surprising concoctions like kabuli dream, stone bowl bibimbap, or koshari.  Have I piqued your interest?  I hope so!  Now it’s your turn!  Would you like to sample some of my bibimbap? (pronounced Bih-bim-bawp).  Say that 10 times and then set a day to treat yourself!