January 12, 2017 • mccsokinawa.com
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ew Year’s resolutions are a dime a dozen, if you think about it. Already, the gym and streets are full of folks acting on their fitness resolutions, and the local farmers' markets have more than likely seen an influx of customers desperate to cleanse themselves of the holiday overindulgences. Vowing to take charge of your health is always a good idea, but by about March, our good intentions turn to excuses and we slide back into old habits. Even those who chose resolutions to boost their financial health become victims of apathy over time. Yes, it would be nice to have $1,000 in an emergency fund, but JCI and road tax are coming and the kids need braces and [insert excuse here]. If we look closer, the problem is not a lack of motivation, but a deficiency in mindfulness. This year, instead of going big, keep it simple by resolving to include meditation and mindfulness in your life. To help with understanding mediation, there
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is a plethora of apps and websites available on multiple platforms to start you down the path toward calm. Many address the basic issue most have with meditation—quieting our minds— by guiding the listener through sensory checks to keep your mind focused in the now. For example, after being instructed to find a comfortable seated position, one narrative has the listener just stare at a blank space on the wall while actively cataloguing the sounds they hear. Most narratives will gently remind the listener to bring their focus back to the moment if their thoughts have run away. There is truly a minimal commitment to meditation (about 10 minutes) but the rewards are immeasurable. Do not be discouraged if you aren’t connecting right away. The act of mindfulness is a life-long pursuit, but one with the potential to trickle down into all aspects of life, and hopefully help you achieve some bigger goals. Chal-
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"There is truly a minimal commitment to meditation (about 10 minutes) but the rewards are immeasurable." lenge yourself to spend 10 minutes today practicing mindfulness, or check out our Pick of the Week on page 7 for information about other ways to find inner peace. Many MCCS programs also offer a variety of services to help with becoming more mindful. Try a Yoga class through Group Fitness, an Anger Management class through Behavioral Health, or even a round of golf at Taiyo Golf Course.
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