The "Now" Game

 Often my clients and readers share their desire to bring more awareness to their life and the choices we all constantly need to make and how to keep mindful through the day.

Few of the emails I received were from people admitting to go through their day as if they are walking on a mined ground.

They told me of their pain in knowing that they are constantly on the attack, ready to defend themselves from a phantom enemy hovering around them.

They wanted the secret technique that will set them free from the ongoing war in their mind.

I told them there is no secret.

And I also told them there is not technique.

Their response was of utter confusion & dismay: “What do you mean there is no secret?” “There ought to be a secret”.

No, there is not secret.

It was quite entertaining really, because it always amazes me how we look for arcane techniques that will simplify our lives when actually things are much simpler than that.

Simple doesn’t sound cool, let’s admit it! A complex life makes us sound like we are some sort of super humans, able to conquer our limits, defy the unknown and in possession of some mystical power which puts us way above everybody else.

I have stopped a long time ago to try & be cool, it never really worked in my case! I suddenly had to admit that I don’t have a super power and I’m just an ordinary girl trying to find her way through this crazy maze.

Observe, choose, and act.

So, how can you go from the usual “shoot, ready, aim” to “observe, choose, and act” & allow awareness in your chaotic mind?

Simple.

Start small, and do just one thing at a time which will allow you to pause through your day and bring your attention back to you.

YOU.

Not the obnoxious person at work, or the judgmental sister, or the annoying fellow passenger on the train.

YOU.

And this may be hard at the start because we all are a bit of control freaks at heart (don’t believe your best mate who prides herself to just go with the flow….she has a secret “to do list” tucked somewhere!).

So to make it fun we are going to play the NOW GAME and I bet you are going to enjoy it so much you’ll be playing on your own too.

THE NOW GAME

• Count 10 breaths from 1 up to 10.
• You may like to say “in” for each in-breath & “out” for each out-breath.
• Follow up each word with the number
• IN (1), OUT (1)
• IN (2), OUT (2) etc.
• When you lose count (and yes you will at least the first couple of times!) simply go back to 1.
• Breathing in and out very slowly, as if you had no care in the world.
• When you get to 10 feel you whole body be very still and present.
• Now back to business as usual or start all over again if you need an extra shot of mindfulness.

Don’t be deceived by the simplicity of this exercise, for it’ll be a life saver on days when dealing with the outside world just feels like an endless marathon. It's so easy that you'll be able to do it on the train, at the bus stop, in the lift, while sitting at your desk or cooking for your family...and yes...even when you pretend to be listening to your spouse or kids!

Ready to play?

Antonia Lyons

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