30 While 30: Be More Mindful

Wondering what this is? I turn 30 on January 11th. Every day until then, I'm listing 30 goals I'd like to accomplish in my 30th year. If you have an idea for me, leave a comment!

#29: Be more mindful. I'm not even sure what that means, really. In fact, I debated not putting it on this list and switching it out for something more concrete and measurable. It's also such a buzz-word right now amongst lots of bloggers I read; I wanted to make sure that I wasn't just falling prey to the hype about mindfulness. But I think I know what it means for me: enjoying each moment, enjoying where I am, enjoying the present.

A couple of years ago, I was guilty of what I call the "something better" syndrome. I was sure that, no matter where I was or what I was doing or who I was doing it with, there was something happening out there that was more fun, more meaningful, something that would make my life feel complete and wonderful. So I would hop from party to party, friend to friend, lover to lover, leaving behind lots of places, people and fun, sure that the next event or person would be exactly what I was looking for—would be the solution to the sort of emptiness or anxiety or restlessness I was feeling.

Guess what? It wasn't. The best thing going on is the one you are doing right now. It doesn't matter if you're watching a DVD on a Saturday night, going for a run, drinking coffee with a friend, writing out a proposal for work. If you're out at party on a Friday night, enjoy the people you're with and the beer you're drinking, and don't constantly be thinking about if there's another party out there with cooler people and better music. Trust me, that is no way to go through life—and I finally learned that for myself in 2009.

So this year, I hope to continue that sense of being present, mindful, and enjoying what I have and where I am in life. I've got a pretty good thing going, and I intend on fully realizing every minute of that.

>> You can see the full list of everything I'm thankful for over the past year here

>> I'm writing about 30 things I plan to do in my 30th year. You can see those here.

Comments

[321blastoff]

I can very much relate to this one. I went through the 'grass is greener' syndrome from about 2003 to 2008. Yeah, it wasn't then and isn't now.

Way to go. And happy birthday!

And yeah- we don't know each other. Somehow we got tangled up together through the interwebs and here we are. Oddly, I think you're the DC version me, or I'm the Denver version of you... something like that.

[catherine]

Thanks, April! I wish I could remember how I found your Twitter/Flickr, but..it escapes me. Magic of the internet! And yes, we are clearly East Coast/Rocky Mountain versions of each other :) I agree!