Four Thirty am. I woke up without the alarm at exactly 4:30 am. This was my usual pattern as of two weeks ago. Today, however, I made a commitment to return to my yoga practice. In January, I started a 30-day yoga journey. My body felt wonderful. My mood was mellow and I felt calm the majority of the day. February blew my quest out of the water. Suddenly, I became too busy and too tired to carve out 30 minutes.
MISTAKE CORRECTED
This was a mistake. My body started to ache again when I tried to get out of bed. Although I remained visibly calm, I felt tension in my muscles. The shift was noticeable. While doing yoga consistently, I enjoyed moving without pain. My interactions were more productive and jovial because my mood was mellow. When I stopped, I immediately noticed that I was returning to a place I no longer wanted.
So, I recommitted myself to the yoga practice.
I had to address the time. In January, I practiced in the evening after office hours in my private practice. My February schedule began to interfere. Because I began receiving an increase in referrals, I needed that time to schedule and see clients. The alternative would be to practice yoga in the morning. Since I started waking up at 4:30 am, that would not be a problem.
MY FIRST DAY
On March 1, I woke up unaided at 4:30 am. I went to my designated space and started warming up. It took about 10 minutes for my body to feel warmed up enough to start. When I started the YouTube video I was immediately in the flow. My focus and attention rested on my instructor’s voice and my body.
THEN THE PHONE RANG
I looked at the receiver, initially thinking that the phone would ring once and stop. Occasionally we get calls in the middle of the night from people who dial the wrong number. The phone rings once or twice and then the caller hangs up, probably realizing they dialed the wrong number. This did not happen. The phone continued to ring.
I walked to the receiver and saw my mother’s name and phone number. An early morning phone call from a close relative almost always means something is wrong.
NO WORRIES JUST CURIOSITY
As I looked at the phone, I realized that I did not feel startled, surprised, or scared. My initial question to myself was, “hmm, I wonder what is going on?” When I answered the phone, she said “Marc, I am sick.” My mother described symptoms that sounded like food poisoning. She had been up since 3:00 am. She asked if she should call EMS. I calmly told her that I would get dressed and come to her home.
I remained calm as I explained the phone call to my husband and dressed. Interestingly, I approached every thought, action, and feeling with an air of curiosity that morning. Because I remained curious, there was little room for obsessive worry and rumination.
Curiosity is a component of mindfulness. Mindfulness is intentionally paying attention on purpose to the present moment with curiosity and without judgment.
CHANGING THOUGHT PATTERN
The stress response starts when we encounter a real or imagined threat. A real threat is physically present and experienced in actual time. A real threat is interpreted as such, based on input from our five senses. The brain starts the stress response based on a stimulus. It then uses information gathered through sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch to determine the extent of the threat.
An imagined threat is developed in the brain. It ignores the present and thrives in the past and future. The imagination uses past experiences to create scenarios. It then uses those imagined scenarios as a basis for future events. Generally, we imagine the worst situation will happen in the future.
MY NEW KIND OF THINKING
After my mother’s phone call, I deliberately focused on the present. If my thoughts jumped to the future, I gently brought them back to whatever was in front of me. Occasionally, my thoughts stepped into the past as I entertained feelings about the early morning interruption. I would express lovingkindness and return my focus to the present.
Mindfulness is a practice that gently transforms thinking into a healthy, beneficial process. Over the next two months we will explain how thoughts influence stress levels and how practices such as mindfulness helps.
I am showing working women step by step how to development a personal mission statement during “Stress Talk” Live with Marcyline Bailey. This 30 minute program is broadcast every Sunday at 4pm on the M.L Bailey Consultants Facebook page and on YouTube. Join us weekly.
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“Here is to your sustainable, successful and satisfying stress managed life.”
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