I am so excited to be partnering with Workman Publishing over next several months on some special releases by Flow Magazine. Flow is a magazine that takes its time, celebrating creativity, imperfection, and life’s little pleasures. In a time when other print media is focusing their energies on their digital properties, Flow Magazine is finding success by fully embracing the physical qualities of paper. It’s weight, texture, the way it takes color, and the formats and ways in which it can be delivered. Their newly released book, A Book That Takes Its Time (An Unhurried Adventure in Creative Mindfulness), is a book about mindfulness and a book that inspires mindfulness written by the editors of Flow Magazine along with . It is a book about doing, about experience, and about intention. This book is a great reminder to slow down, breathe deeply, and be present. It is a book you will want in print since it includes hundreds of interactive paper goodies! It includes, journals, postcards, stickers, thank you notes, posters, and dozens of other treasures. I have absolutely enjoyed reading it, and filling out some of the prompts and interactive activities!
I feel like lately the word busy is brought up in nearly every conversation. How are things? Busy. We are always busy these days. I don’t know if it is the stage of life I am in or if something has changed, but I really think it is both. The younger generations feel so much pressure, stress, loneliness, and anxieties. I feel like it is much more than ever before. But why? I think technology is to blame, privilege, lack of being mindful and present and intentional in how we are living.
6 Steps to Becoming More Mindful:
- Being Present in the Moment: In A Book That Takes It’s Time, the Authors talk a lot about enjoying one thing at a time. Being present in the moment, even going as far suggesting just taking only ONE photo so you can savor and enjoy that moment rather missing it. It is increasingly difficult to be present. With so many distractions and technology at our fingertips, it is so easy to make looking at our phones a habit, or trying to capture the moment with about a million pictures and videos. I am totally guilty of this. I love to experience the moment, but also capture the moment with photos and video. It is hard to see sometimes if we are enjoying the moment, or enjoying capturing the moment on our devices to then share later to show how much “fun” we are having. With being such multi-tasker, it is hard for me to feel like I am “wasting time.” I often am working on several things at once. I work out, while I listen to a book. I get my hair done or a pedicure, while I am working on my laptop. I eat my lunch while I am simultaneously checking my emails, or social media. I do the dishes while I watch a show.
I love that the book talks about enjoying one thing at a time. This really stood out to me. I feel like the trend has been to try to do as many things at a time at the same time, so it was really refreshing to read! I have since taken note to enjoy one thing at a time, and while I eat lunch, I have sat to enjoy my lunch just with my thoughts, or complete one task at a time verses three or four at a time. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and do less. I loved recording my beautiful moments in a jar with the cards in A Book That Take’s Its Time. It really helped me to focus on the beautiful moments in my life, and find joy in the little things!
- Meditation/ Relaxation: Taking the time to Meditate and Relax each day is key. We live in such a busy world that we need to take the time each day to slow down, and listen. When was the last time that you just sat in silence not doing anything or looking at a device? I find that those moments of stillness and quiet is when my best thoughts come to mind. I can think much more clearly, and receive what I need to. If I take the time to listen, I will always hear something. Being in nature always helps me with this, and clears my mind. It is so amazing what an open horizon can do for my mind!
- Take the time to Create: I really think technology is killing creativity. When we used to have to come up with something on our own, we now have the entire world wide web at our fingertips where we can look just about anything up. Creating your own recipe, or making something out of nothing is becoming a thing of the past. I think it is so important to continue to try something new, and be creative. Cooking a new recipe for example, or making something. It always calms me down and I love to see the result of something that I made myself!
- Clear Out Your Mind: I don’t know about you, but my mind is constantly moving about a mile a minute. I even find myself waking up in the middle of the night with something on my mind that I need to accomplish. It seems that I never get a chance to rest my mind, even when I am resting! I absolutely loved the section in A Book That Takes Its Time that has you make lists to clear the mind, making it easier to visualize how to make changes and cultivate gratitude for good in your life. Write down and list your stress, your worries, habits you want to break, things that make you happy. By putting them onto paper and outside of our minds, I really believe that it free’s up the space to be more creative, and open to other things. When my mind is bogged down all of the time, it is hard for me to receive inspiration.
- Letting Go of Trying so Hard: No more Have-to’s One thing I have learned about being in my mid-thirties is letting go of trying so hard. It really is freeing to let go of things, and being able to say “No.” I have learned that I can’t do it all, and I don’t “Have to” do anything. I can decide what works for me and what doesn’t, and let go of the things that aren’t working in my life, and guess what? It is ok to quit!. This includes activities, getting rid of things that don’t bring me happiness, and even people in my life that aren’t lifting me up. I have learned if I am trying so hard in a relationship only to get nothing, then maybe I need to just let it go. I always teach my kids that they need to be friendly with everyone, but they do not have to be friends with everyone. Relationships that take, take, take, aren’t healthy over time, and bring you down. For me it is more important to cultivate and focus on the relationships that matter most, and also give in return.
- Be Happy with Nothing New: Gratitude I believe is decreasing bit by bit out there. We can claim how grateful all we want, while still wanting more and more. I fall into this trap often. I think the sincerest form of gratitude is being happy with nothing new and with what you have without wanting more. Always wanting more leaves you feeling unsatisfied and ungrateful. I feel like it is easy to want things right away, but working over time for something brings so much more satisfaction and gratitude when we do finally get it. How grateful can we be to just get everything we want when we want it? I feel like gratitude lingers longer when we have to put in a little work in on our end.
So, I am so excited to hear what you think of the book! It has really changed my life and my outlook, and I am so grateful to be able to share this with you, and start this important discussion. I have to say, sitting down to read an actual book, something that was tangible and not digital felt so amazing! When is the last time you have done that? It has been a while for me as well. Too long in fact. I am going to make it a goal to sit down, slow down and read uplifting books more often!
A Book That Takes It’s Time is now available online and in stores, and I hope you all get a chance to get a copy into your hands! It would also make an amazing gift this coming holiday season! (Shop Below!)
Again, I am so grateful to be able to work with so many amazing brands that align with my mission and have message that I want to share. And, as always, thanks for reading and being a part of my tribe!
Cheers to being more mindful, in the moment, relaxed, able to let go, more creative, and happy with what you have! I hope to continue to work on this, and I hope this has inspired you to do so as well!