The Storm of Distraction

I've recently experienced a personal setback. Some days it has left me panicked and angry. I wind up allowing then negativity in and within an hour I'm emotionally helpless, full of despair and lacking any confidence what so ever. However, when I change my setting (taking a walk, going and sitting in another room, etc.) I begin to emerge from those feelings. I've realized coming off those feelings is like driving in thunderstorm. I'm gripping the steering wheel and the adrenaline is pumping me full of fear and doubt. Suddenly I've driven out of the storm and everything is sunny and calm. I realize I was safe and being sensible and focused the entire time. I allowed the storm steal my confidence and take control. All the while I was centered the entire time. The base of my confidence was never taken away, I just let something distract me from relying on it and believing in it.

How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall?

We've all heard that timeless joke, haven't we? There are those, however, who are under the delusion that some things don't need practice. They just happen without effort. We wouldn't be expected to sit down and produce a masterpiece the first time we try painting would we? Of course not. And no one's expecting us to play a Mozart piano piece like a virtuoso on the first try, are they? Nope. Just like getting to Carnegie Hall, these things take practice.

And it's no different with mindfulness. It's not something we breathe in or gain by osmosis. To achieve mindfulness we need to practice. A case in point, I found myself today dealing with a situation that was running me through all sorts of emotions. Anxiousness. Embarrassment. Despair. Elation. Hope, and at times a sense of helplessness. Then it hit me. I wasn't accepting these emotions, I was railing against them with gritted teeth and a heart pounding with anxiety. My mind had leapt miles and weeks ahead into a scenario that hadn't come to pass yet. I had forgotten all my practice. I wasn't being centered. I wasn't in the moment and being present. I wasn't being mindful. To get back to that state I returned to what I had practiced and seemed to work well for me. I concentrated on the exhale portion of my breathing. Within a few minutes, I was able to see through the muddied emotions, accept them, and embrace the core of my issue. I was in the moment. I was able to return to a mindful state.  

So if you want to be a good painter, practice painting. If you want to play the piano well, practice playing the piano. And if you want to be more mindful? 

"Hey friend, how do I get to mindfulness?"
"Practice."