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CANDC · 09:24 AM

Hi there. I tried a lot of ways to find meaning in my life. The most rewarding lately has been mindfulness. There is no "hocus pocus" to it. It is not going to change all the things I do not like in my life, but it does offer me the opportunity to explore new perspectives on things.

It is experimental in the sense that you try things and see what works for you. There are dozens of ways to practice mindfulness. The most mundane for me is washing dishes. It is kind of a boring job, but I take it as a challenge. Sometimes I listen to a podcast while doing dishes or just focus on the details of putting soap on the sponge and wiping the dishes with the sponge and rinsing them. It is a different experience than if I rush to get them done to do something "I really want to do."

There are many ways to start. Jon Kabat Zinn has hundreds of youtube videos as they are one of the people that has been bringing mindfulness into the mainstream.

A kind grandfatherlike person is Padraig O' Morain also on youtube.

The best app I have found for smartphone is Healthy Minds. It is free with no ads so it is not like some apps that drive me crazy trying to escape from ads to get back to the program

. When I open the program it automatically starts where I completed a module that run about 5-10 minutes each. Some are informational and some are guided experiential segments. It is put out by the University of Wisconsin and is scientifically validated by leading scientists in brain and mindfulness expertise. You can download it on Apple Store or Google Play.

I am interested in any experiences you have had with mindfulness. To me it is one of the best self care tools available. If I am not happy, what do I have to lose by trying it? And that is why I start my day with it.