Thankful

Today I am thankful for
the quiet that greets me in the morning
the house that holds my solitude
my husband that loves me unconditionally
my faith that the future is going to be delightful
and the friends who people the story of my life.

What are you thankful for?

Copyright 2010 Heather Corwin

What Do You Want To Do When You Grow Up?

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?  I always knew I wanted to be an actress - but I did fantasize about being a farmer or a veterinarian.  I've always liked digging in the earth and animals.   It was in my wildest dreams that my life as I know it evolved.  I constantly think about what makes me happy and what I want to make of my life and augment my life to match.

The problem with happiness, sometimes, is you have to give yourself the time and stillness to be able to hear those yearnings inside you.  Simultaneously, concentration is required to quiet the judges or nay-sayers in your mind long enough to avoid talking yourself out of your dreams.  In other words, you don't always have to have all of the answers to every moment, you just have to know the answers for today and how to proceed TODAY.  Tomorrow will come whether you're ready for it or not.

Another thing to keep in mind is that what you want will not always make sense to you immediately, you just want it like that.  Sometimes this happens because you may have smothered some prior impulses that are now surfacing, or you may simply have changed.  You can take a little time to contemplate that decision, but those thoughts can sometimes be your greatest gifts.  Don't just chuck them because they might seem odd.

In short, grab your life by the throat and make of it what you will.  You only have one shot, make it a good one!

Copyright 2010 Heather Corwin

Mindfulness in L.A.

According to Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D., mindfulness"can be done without any extraordinary effort. Mindfulness is often mistakenly equated with meditation. This is not surprising. However, meditation is simply a way to practice mindfulness in a structured, dedicated way. It's akin to going to the gym in order to work-out, perhaps. You can get into shape by running around the neighborhood or taking the stairs more often. And, we can train our minds in the same way. We can have a dedicated practice (like a morning meditation session) or cultivate awareness through more informal, contextualized means" like reading something every day that inspires you.

" It encourages us to trust in our own experiences. Mindfulness does not require that you believe anyone or anything; it simply encourages you to notice what's happening. No one is a better expert on your experience in the present moment than you-and the same goes for me. I can't tell you what you're experiencing, and vice versa. If we stand side-by-side, we might share some environmental experiences in that space, like being in an 80 degree room or hearing a siren outside. However, our perceptions and judgments of these experiences are likely to be very different. I might find the room hot and the siren annoying, while you might relish the warmth and extend a blessing to the people responding to an apparent emergency." (Kaplan, 2010).


"(Mindfulness) helps us get over our selves. Within U.S. culture, we spend a lot of time thinking about ourselves. Through the adoption of a mindful perspective, we're better able to recognize our commitments to and connections with the people around us. Particularly in an urban setting, we can't do it alone. We rely on others to make sure that we have electricity, running water, curbside garbage disposal, public transit options, etc. And, I'm willing to bet that you didn't make the shirt you're wearing. For a more detailed treatise on this principle, I'd recommend reading One City by Ethan Nichtern" (Kaplan, 2010).

So, hey!  You've already practiced some mindfulness today by reading this!  Way to be!

Copyright 2010 Heather Corwin