Mindfulness Keeps Us Safer

We are less accident-prone when mindful.

Just an hour ago, my husband slipped on the ice in our dog’s piddle pen and fell on his shoulder. He has taken our dogs out hundreds, if not thousands, of times and has fallen only once before—onto the other shoulder. Luckily, he’s a little bruised, but otherwise okay. Gene fell because he wasn’t paying attention to where he was stepping. Instead, he was distracted by Zoe, our little dog, and her BFF who was with us for a playdate. We all get distracted a zillion times a day. Thankfully, we are trainable. We can learn to be more mindful and, as a result, be safer, more efficient, and less stressed.

Embodying the current moment gives us mastery. We can usually manage this moment. By grounding us in the doable now, mindfulness gives us the clarity to make wise, self-supporting choices and, thereby, avoid innumerable pitfalls and potholes.

Mindfulness itself is easy. The trick is remembering to practice it.

Excerpted from How to Stay Upbeat in a Beat Down World by Sue Patton Thoele. Available on Amazon.