Deidre's Ramblings

[*Deidre*]

Sunday, May 13

Some thoughts on meditation, mindfulness and being happy with less


Growing up in wealth, much was handed to me. I'm grateful to my parents for always being there to catch me, financially.  But, in some ways, it left me feeling a little insecure and inept at handling money on my own. In turn, I'm definitely the spender in my relationship with my husband. It's amazing how impactful your childhood is on you, when it comes to how your parents handled money.

I'd much rather spend than save, but I'm really trying to live a minimalist lifestyle. There's something really awesome to me about being happy with less. With needing less, and simply not mistaking wants as needs. We're all bombarded with messages whether it's on Facebook, or other forms of social media, that you must be ''this'' or have ''that,'' in order to be complete. Most of us may not fall prey to it, but if I'm honest, I sometimes crave the idea of ''more.'' But, more doesn't make you happy or at peace. If anything, the tireless quest for more things...will only leave you continuously wanting. I've found that to be true, anyways.

I'm into a fitness lifestyle, I really enjoy cross fit, hiking and yoga. I've incorporated meditation into yoga, and in my quiet moments, I try to be mindful. (This isn't a necessity within yoga, but I like blending the two) I try to block out the competing voices of the world, telling me that I'm not enough unless I do this, or acquire that. When I first started meditating, it was hard. It took a few weeks for me to settle my mind, but once it all started to click, the flow became real. Ten minutes of meditation led to 20 minutes...to now, I might meditate for 45 minutes at a time. It sounds like a lot, but there's a Zen proverb that I like that helps with this ''If you don't have time to meditate for one hour every day, meditate for two hours.''

How you spend your time and money honestly reflects what is most important to you. There's no way around that. We may say these things don't matter to us, but they do. That's what meditation can do for you - if you're not already doing it. It can help you figure out what you're spending too much time and energy on, and if it's holding you back from pure happiness.

And so, from meditating for the past few years, I'd say that what I've come away with is a list of things that basically would make my life more simplistic, and ultimately happier.

Living off the grid (even for a year would be way cool)
Taking intermittent social media and news ''fasts''
Buying less, and only buying what I need
Spending more time out in nature (Already do this, and yes, this will change your life)
Eating local farm market foods (healthier, and you're giving to your community)
Be mindful, and grateful in all things
Stay fit, both mentally and physically
Read one book per month, or at the very least, every three months
Do something that gets you out of your comfort zone once per month
Write, journal, blog your thoughts

That's all I have to say today, I wish all the moms here, a special Mother's Day!

Until next time...