Have you ever watched a child? They are innately curious and amazed by each discovery because they are seeing things for the first time.
Beginner’s mind is an attitude of mindfulness. It helps us to meet each moment as though it was for the first time. Beginner’s mind enables us to come off “automatic pilot” where we act out of habit and often take things for granted.
When we go through the day unconsciously, we’re unable to be energized by the positive moments of the day. With mindfulness, we notice a flower blooming. We feel the love in a hug. We savor the taste of that first sip of coffee. Beginner’s mind makes it possible to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, the sacred in the mundane.
Learning how to be present in the moment, we become able to see new possibilities. We avoid getting stuck in any one particular way of seeing something or someone. Here are two ways you can explore the attitude of beginner’s mind:
1) The next time you have a conversation with someone you think you know very well, pretend you don’t know this person. Be curious. Listen to what they are saying as though he or she was a stranger. You may be surprised by what you discover.
2) When you are performing a task you’ve done a thousand times, act as though you are doing it for the first time. Approach it with an open mind. You may find a new way of doing it or a different perspective.
REFLECT
– What situation would you like to have a fresh view on?
– What’s one thing you will do this week to practice beginner’s mind?
I invite you to check out Mindful Me®, my mobile friendly, online, self-paced mindfulness meditation program. Try Lesson 1 for FREE!
Thrive on!
Cheryl
