One of the first steps towards becoming “engaged in your life” is to recognize when you are disconnected from it.  That means you recognize when you begin to “drift off” into your mind.  Sometimes, our minds are so full of thoughts, we do not absorb our surroundings.  In those periods, we traverse our surroundings on “auto pilot” without actually engaging.

When our thoughts consume our mind, we have little room for much else.  We may be in a conversation, but not have any idea what the other person has been saying – because our thoughts have effectively shut down our capacity to listen.  Has that ever happened to you?

Think about your last conversation of any length.  Do you remember what the other person said?  Do you think you absorbed anything that they said?  You heard them talking, but did anything get absorbed by you?  Another way to see how engaged and active you are in life, is to think about the last time you were introduced to someone.  Did you remember their name two seconds after they said it?  If not, it’s not because your memory is fading, it’s because you were probably full of thoughts in your mind when the name was given to you, and you did not absorb it.

When we clear our minds of the chatter that often consumes it, we have the room and the space for other things.  We can enjoy the view out of the window that we have looked through for years – without noticing anything.  We can have a conversation where we truly engage with the other person – without being somewhere else in our minds.  A clear mind, opens the world, much like a clean window reveals what’s on the other side.

Trying to look though a window encased in water stains, is like looking through a waterfall.  Trying to look through your eyes, listen with your ears, and taste with your senses while having a mindful of thoughts, is nearly impossible.  Everything begins with a clear mind.  A clear mind, makes for a happy life!

Today is a great day to watch and observe yourself.  Identify instances where you are not present.  Identify times when you hear your mind chattering away rather than listening, driving, eating, etc.  When you begin to notices those instances you can then stop them while they are happening, clear your mind, and get back to this moment.

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When we have a clear mind, we can see the world without judgment.  A clear mind allows for us to fully engage our senses, and to be engaged in this life!  Clear your mind, and see what’s really “out there!”

Written Mon, Sep, 19, 2016 7:42 – 7:52 AM MDT