Left Brain Buddha is reclaiming Monday mornings! Not manic, but mindful. Each Monday I share a short passage or mantra for a moment with the breath, accompanied by a photo from my photographer {my husband 🙂 }. I share highlights from my Smile File for the week ~ and I hope you’ll take time to reflect on your smiles from the past week. Breathe, smile, and move into your Monday morning with mindfulness.
{Left Brain Buddha fun fact: The Bangles {“Manic Monday”} were on to something. Monday comes from “moon-day,” moon = lunar = lunacy, lunatic…. Let’s stop the crazy Mondays and start the week in peace!}
Words for a Mindful Moment with the Breath
I know we’re tired of the snow, but there is beauty in a Minnesota winter…
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, today’s words for a mindful moment with the breath come from Deborah Schoeberlein and Suki Sheth’s Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness.
“Mindfulness isn’t a panacea for the world’s problems, but it does provide a practical strategy for working directly with reality. You might not be able to change certain things in your life, at work, or at home, but you can change how you experience those immutable aspects of life, work, and home. And the more present you are to your own life, the more choices you have that influence its unfolding. …
[For teachers]: When you’re really here, your teaching is effective and you feel energized…. When students are really there, the classroom is alive with learning and their work shines.”
Highlights from the Smile File
*****
Minnesotans have had to deal with A LOT of snow and cold this winter. When we woke up to a forecast of 3-6 inches of snow on May 1st, it was rough. When I told my children about the snow, they had very different reactions.
My daughter embraced the coming snow, changing her outfit to match:
My son, not so much:
{This was taken after his first full-out tantrum inspired by a weather forecast}.
Once again, my children are a great reminder to me about choosing our attitude and deciding how we will respond to the challenges in life that truly are out of our control!
*****
Last night, I competed in my first dance competition! {pictures to follow…} I had a blast! A night filled with people who love to dance, with new friends, with laughter, nervous energy, dancing, false eyelashes and way-too-much makeup, out-past-bedtime, and overall awesomeness! It was a great reminder to me of the importance of having something that’s “mine” – outside of work, outside of mommyhood – that provides a creative and physical outlet. Those moments away from home and work energize me for the most important things I do. Lots of smiles last night indeed!
*****
And again, the Huffington Post’s Cute Kid Note of the Day and Best Parenting Tweets of the Week always make me laugh!
Have you started a Smile File yet? What made you smile last week?
Have a great week!
Peace~
Sarah
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