Revisiting Mindfulness

Over the last few weeks I have been introduced to several types of exercises that promote spiritual and mental fitness. Of these, I have found the 'Loving Kindness' and 'Subtle Mind' exercises to be the most beneficial at this time.

As I mentioned in a previous blog posting, it has taken me a long time to learn to 'love' myself. What I learned the most from this exercise is that you can't fully love another until you fully love and accept yourself. For many years I have truly believed that I loved others and was giving everything of myself but this exercise made me realize you have to in essence be love to give love otherwise you are just going through the motions. I know that I have made a great deal of progress in this area but there are still parts of me that fill with doubt and judgment and I would like to come to a point that I love and accept myself NO MATTER WHAT. I also want to be able to love my partner and my step-daughter with everything that I have and that they deserve; by learning to love myself unconditionally I will also be able to give them infinite, unconditional love as well. During the day when I am faced with obstacles that cause me to fill with doubt or that sense that I just don't measure up, I stop and take a mental time out, reassure myself that I am worthy, and no matter the outcome, I am still worthy of love.

I also found the 'Subtle Mind' exercise extremely beneficial. I work in a career field that demands not only physical fitness but mental and emotional fitness as well. As a nurse, I am expected to be compassionate, caring, tentative to peoples needs, and intuitive. At the end of the day my mind is often running a thousand miles a minute in several different directions. On my drive home I may thinking of all the homework I have to do plus daily chores like dinner and laundry all the while still feeling an emotional connection to a patient that may have made an exceptional impression. The 'Subtle Mind' exercise was an excellent exercise in teaching me an efficient way to calm my mind. Although I have extremely busy days I can incorporate this exercise in the moments that I don't have to interact with others like when I am getting ready for work before everyone gets up, on my drive in to work or home from work, or in those moments before I go to sleep.