Mindful Rewrites - Freedom In Yourself

Mind Stories

Anne Frank was an inspirational young girl who wrote about the beauty in life, despite being a  victim of the Holocaust. In her diary, she wrote, “I have found there is always some beauty left--in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself: these can all help you.”

Mindful Rewrite

As I write this post, I am in a doctor’s office undergoing a consultation for surgery. Thinking of Anne Frank reminds me to focus on the gifts of the present moment. Even in a stressful situation, we have opportunities to practice mindfulness. Her words remind me of the “freedom in yourself” to choose your thoughts. I notice the bright colors in the room and the soothing whir of the air conditioner. Focusing my attention on positive sights and sounds does not change the reality-- that I need to face necessary surgery--but it does help me feel calmer and more centered. Why waste an opportunity to focus on the present moment? My medical problems remind me that our health and life circumstances can change suddenly. I deliberately focus my attention on the bright blue of my shirt and the crisp white of my pants….breathing, noticing, breathing, noticing...

Practice

Back to the present.

When you find yourself in a challenging situation that has you feeling tense, deliberately slow your breathing and think the word “be” as you inhale air in, and the word “calm” as you exhale. As you feel yourself calming down, deliberately and repetitively practice this for a few moments with your eyes closed. Then, opening your eyes, intentionally notice the sounds and the colors around you, feeling your own weight against the chair, allowing attention to go into your hands, then your feet--centering your body in the present moment.

As I do this practice in the present moment, waiting for my doctor to present to me the surgery options, I notice that there is beige and blue wallpaper with pleasant muted pyramids and a small cloisonné mirror in the corner that I had not noticed before. 

The act of reminding yourself of “all there is is now” and focusing on gifts in the present moment is calming, and particularly auspicious when you find yourself in stressful circumstances.