I often wonder what it truly means to be mindful.
To me, it’s not how to spot a narcissist or knowing when you’ve found Mr. Right.
It’s not about how many pairs of Birkenstocks you own or about sporting a coffee cup with “be present” written on it.
No, none of this, in my opinion, is the “mindful life.”
To be mindful is to be able to look at the world as a complex system that shapes each individual’s life.
It’s to be able to see that your beliefs about the world were shaped by your experiences.
It’s the ability to understand that your beliefs may not be someone else’s.
It’s to be accepting of all walks of life and to work toward resolving conflict.
It’s to not cast judgment on those who drink from plastic bottles because they were raised with a different belief system and had less access to resources.
It’s to see that you are no better than anyone else and are instead walking this journey with all of us with beliefs you were not born with but shaped into having.
The mindful life is not about sex, yoga, and coffee.
It’s not about being happy.
It is not about hair, clothes, or food.
It’s about being attentive to what is presently in your life, believing your beliefs to be no better than your neighbor’s.
It’s about being here, right now, open-minded, observing yourself within a complex system, and wishing each human being well on their own journey.
It is not about finger-pointing.
It is not about orgasms.
It’s about waking up.
It’s about being present with the earth and those who walk on it, including yourself.
Promote mindfulness—not privileged lifestyles.
There is a difference.
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